Changes in intelligence after Scott inquiry
01 January 1991
Changes in intelligence after Scott inquiry
bacdoc March=1996
Press release from:
CABINET OFFICE
15 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:
þ 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 development in the area of nonproliferation 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 (fo