New UK secrecy definitions
01 March 1994
The UK government has announced a new system of classifying secret documents known as the "protective security marking system". The Prime Minister said that the new system followed a review conducted in the light of the changing nature of threats to national security. He said:
"In recent years, the nature of the threats to government security has changed. Whilst some of the traditional threats to national security may have somewhat reduced, others have not. The security of government is also increasingly threatened by for example theft, copying and electronic surveillance, as well as by terrorism."
The new classification system still has four categories (full- text given below). The language too has been modernised. Markings are given to "assets" (including information) whose exposure or publication would "compromise that asset or information". The first is Top Secret: the old definition related to "causing exceptionally grave damage to the nation" the new one says:
"the compromise of this information or material would be likely: to threaten directly the internal stability of the UK or friendly countries; to lead directly to widespread loss of life; to cause exceptionally grave damage to the effectiveness or security of UK or allied forces or to the continuing effectiveness of extremely valuable security or intelligence operations; to cause exceptionally grave damage to relations with friendly governments; to cause severe long-term damage to the UK economy."
The second Secret previously defined as "causing serious injury to the interests of the nation" is now:
"the compromise of this information or material would be likely: to raise international tension; to damage seriously relations with friendly governments; to threaten like directly, or seriously prejudice public order, or individual security or liberty; to cause serious damage to the operational effectiveness or security of UK or allied forces or the continuing effectiveness of highly valuable security or intelligence operations; to cause substantial material damage to national finances or economic and commercial interests."
The third Confidential was "being damaging to the interests of the nation" and is now:
"the compromise of this information or material would be likely: materially to damage diplomatic relations (ie: cause formal protest or other sanction); to prejudice individual security or liberty; to cause damage to the operational effectiveness or security of UK or allied forces or the effectiveness of valuable security or intelligence operations; to work substantially against national finances or economic or commercial interests; substantially to undermine the financial viability of major organisations; to impede the investigation or facilitate the commission of serious crime; to impede seriously the development or operation of major government policies; to shut down or otherwise substantially disrupt significant national operations."
The fourth Restricted was "being undesirable in the interests of the nation" and is now:
"the compromise of this information or material would be likely to affect diplomatic relations adversely; to cause substantial distress to individuals; to make it more difficult to maintain the operational effectiveness or security of UK or allied forces; to cause financial loss or loss of earnings potential to or facilitate improper gain or advantage for individuals or companies; to prejudice the investigation or facilitate the commission of crime; to breach proper undertakings to maintain the confidence of information provided by third parties; to impede the effective development or operations of government policies; to breach statutory restrictions on the disclosure of information; to disadvantage government in commercial or policy negotiations with others; to undermine the proper management of the public sector and its operations."
The existing system is based on the four security classifications plus "a complex