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GCHQ: strategy summary

01 July 1994

The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) Confidential strategy summary for 1994 prepared by Sir John Ayde, its Director, sets out is main objectives. GCHQ is officially under the Foreign Office and the Foreign Secretary. Its 6,500 civilian staff is part of the Civil Service and it is assisted by 3,000 members of the Armed forces at overseas bases. Its job is to: provide signal intelligence, known as Sigint, in - "the interests of national security, the economic well-being of the UK, and to support the prevention or detection of serious crime". It is organised in two groups: the national Sigint centre and the Communications Electronics Security Group (CESG).

The GCHQ staff are told that its work benefits from collaboration with other countries, "but we must not allow this to reach a point of overdependence". They are told to "maximise" the benefits to the government of UKUSA (the worldwide intelligence listening operation run by the USA and the UK):

"The UKUSA intelligence relationship is of particular importance. Our contribution must be of sufficient scale and of the right kind to make a continuation of the Sigint alliance worthwhile to our partners. This may entail on occasion the applying of UK resources to the need of US requirements."

However, the document makes clear that "the provision of Sigint to UK customers is the main reason for our existence". It goes on to say that: "Since of 50% of UK Sigint resources goes into collection [of intelligence], the efficient use of these resources against changing targets is essential".

GCHQ: Strategic Direction Summary Confidential September 1994; GCHQ Funding Confidential information notice 17.1.94.