GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 spy chiefs to be questioned by Parliament.
Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee is to quiz Britain's spy chiefs together in public later - the first time this has happened.
ISC members are nominated by the prime minister and appointed by Parliament
GCHQ director Sir Iain Lobban, MI5 director general
Andrew Parker and MI6 chief Sir John Sawers will be questioned for an hour and a half.
They are expected to be asked about leaks by US whistle-blower Edward Snowden concerning intelligence work.
Spy bosses have given evidence to the committee in private for many years.
Mr Parker took over as head of MI5 - the security service - earlier this year. MI6 is charged with gathering intelligence and GCHQ with monitoring communications.
The session, which will begin at 14:00 GMT, will be broadcast on the BBC News Channel with a short time delay in case anything which might endanger national security or the safety of those working for the agencies can be cut.
The ISC, made up of senior MPs and peers, said the committee meeting would "give an insight into the world of intelligence and the work the agencies do on behalf of the UK".
It said the move was "a very significant step forward in terms of the openness and transparency of the agencies".
The three heads will be asked about topics including terrorist threats and cyber security.
Subjects off limits will include details of intelligence techniques and ongoing operations.
Speaking on Sky's Murnaghan programme on Sunday, ISC chairman Sir Malcolm Rifkind said: "We are not going to ask them questions which could only be answered by revealing secret information.
"We do ask them that in private but, what has become already evident, is you can have an intelligent and mature debate on intelligence issues, including the intelligence chiefs themselves, without having to reveal specific secrets."
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