A parliamentary intelligence committee has concluded that the United Kingdom’s intelligence agency, the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), did not violate British law by using data provided by the PRISM program.

In a short three-page statement (PDF) released on its website, the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament said the allegations that the GCHQ “circumvented UK law by using the [National Security Agency’s] PRISM program to access the content of private communications” are “unfounded.”

The committee didn’t provide much information about how it arrived at the conclusion that the British equivalent of the National Security Agency (NSA) is in the clear. However, the members of parliament did note that they interviewed the GCHQ’s director “in detail." They also acquired evidence: an extensive examination of “GCHQ’s access to the content of communications,” “arrangements GCHQ has with its overseas counterparts for sharing such information,” and reports including “a list of every ‘selector’ (such as an e-mail address) for these individuals [subject to monitoring] on which the intelligence was requested.”

Despite the finding, the intelligence committee did provide a warning. “Although we have concluded that GCHQ has not circumvented or attempted to circumvent UK law, it is proper to consider further whether the current statutory framework governing access to private communications remains adequate.”