CABINET OFFICE (OPS)
5 February 1996
IMPROVEMENTS IN INTELLIGENCE HANDLING
Today's Report by Sir Richard Scott comments that there were systemic
failures in the handling of intelligence by Government Departments
causing errors in the dissemination of some material.
Steps have been taken in recent years to improve the handling and
dissemination of intelligence material, as Sir Richard Scott
recognises. These are set out below. The aim of the changes has
been to ensure that the right intelligence material is sent on time
to the right person in the right part of the Department concerned.
The changes, in particular those that harness new technology, also
make the retrieval, storage and analysis of material easier, quicker
and more accurate.
The changes are:
Foreign and Commonwealth office
- Following a major review completed in 1994 there are
now regular meetings between specialist intelligence
officials and FCO policy areas.
- Since the early 1990s intelligence concerning arms
exports has been copied both to the relevant
geographical FCO Department (eg Middle East
Department, South Asian Department) and the FCO
Department with overall policy control.
- Guidance on the internal handling of intelligence
material is circulated to intelligence readers within
the FCO every six months.
- Since 1992 intelligence material falling under the
following headings has always been submitted to the
relevant Minister of State:
* reports on developments in the area of
non-proliferation which may change FCO practice
or policy;
* reports containing significant new
information (eg, new proliferation
programmes or UK firms' involvement in such
programmes);
* reports casting doubt on major UK exports.
Department of Trade and Industry
- The mechanism for the internal distribution of
intelligence material changed in mid-1989. Before
this time only Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and
Deputy Secretaries were given by-hand deliveries.
This has since mid-1989 been extended to include
officials at all levels within the Department cleared
to read such material.
- In 1994, DTI reviewed and further strengthened its
arrangements for handling intelligence within the
Department.
- DTI has recently begun trials of an IT system aimed at
improving still further the speed and efficiency of
Departmental facilities for handling and analysing
intelligence reports.
- DTI's Export Control Organisation would bring to
Ministerial attention any significant intelligence
bearing on major licensing issues.
Customs and Excise
- In September 1991 Customs Investigation Division
formed an "intelligence cell" of officials within the
operational team tasked with the investigation of
breaches of export controls. All members of the
"cell" have clearance in order to see intelligence
material. This "cell" was expanded into a larger
"intelligence team" in February 1993.
- During early 1992 the "intelligence team" has used an
IT support system able to cross-refer and retrieve
historic intelligence material.
Cabinet Office
- In 1993 the Joint Intelligence organisation (JIO) in
the Cabinet Office introduced a dedicated secure
IT network in order to speed up the production of
assessment of intelligence material.
- JIO led the expansion of the secure IT network into
other areas of the UK"s intelligence community in
1994.
- Further enhancements to this technology are planned so
as to enable desk-to-desk communications with SIS and
GCHQ later in 1996.
- Increased use of electronic distribution of
intelligence material from Cabinet Office from January
1996.
Ministry of Defence
- Since 1987 there have been a number of changes and
improvements in the structure of the Defence
Intelligence Service (DIS). These have taken account
of changing requirements within the Ministry of
Defence (for example in reaction to the
disintegration of the Warsaw Pact). A key structural
reorganisation has provided more resources to
proliferation-related areas (including the provision
of advice on export licence applications in this
area.)
- IT has been improved and further studies have been
commissioned.
- There are now co-ordinated assessments by DIS on the
threat of proliferation in particular regions and
countries.
- Communication has been improved and formalised between
the DIS, decision makers on exports and the
enforcement agencies.
GCHQ
- GCHQ now provides the names of individuals and
organisations as appropriate in the intelligence
material it disseminates to users. These details had
previously been available only upon request to GCHQ.
Secret Intelligence Service (SIS)
- SIS has made a number of significant improvements to
the system of intelligence distribution over recent
years:
* a strengthened dialogue with the recipients of
intelligence has led to a wider customer base,
more extensive consultations over intelligence
priorities, and significantly greater
availability of intelligence to Departments on
whose interests or activities it impinges;
* most intelligence reports are now issued
telegraphically to key customer Departments to
ensure swift transmission;
* use of new information technology within SIS has
also increased the speed of intelligence
production and distribution;
* new sections on requirements such as the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction have
been established, concentrating expertise and
intelligence production and improving the service
to the relevant customer Departments.
