Support Our Work Mailing list About / Contact

UK: Cabinet Committees

01 July 1992

Support our work: become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.

The government announced in May "in the interests of greater openness" the names and membership of Cabinet Committees. These included the Ministerial Committees on: Defence and Overseas Policy (OPD); Nuclear Defence Policy (OPDN); European Security (OPDSE); Hong Kong and other dependent territories (OPDK); Northern Ireland (NI); Intelligence Services (IS); Home and Social Affairs (EDH) and Ministerial Sub-Committees on: European Questions (OPD(E)); Terrorism (OPD(T)); Drug Misuse (EDH(D)); and Women's Issues (EDH(W), chaired by the Secretary of State for Employment).

However, no details were given on ad-hoc committees of which there were 140 in the last five year parliament on issues like the poll tax. Nor were details given on the official inter- departmental committees headed by Permanent Under-Secretaries (top civil servants) of which there were 100 in the last parliament. It is these latter committees which prepare all major policy reports for ministerial committees.

Details were given on the ministerial committee on Intelligence chaired by the Prime Minister and charged with keeping "under review policy on the security and intelligence services" (the other members being the Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary, Defence Secretary, and Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster). But no details were announced on the inter-departmental Electronic Security Committee, the Permanent Under-Secretaries Committee on Security and Intelligence Services (PSIS) or the powerful Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) chaired by Sir Roderick Braithwaite. JIC is attended by officials from the Foreign Office, MI5, MI6, heads of Defence Intelligence and GCHQ, and officials from the Ministry of Defence, Cabinet Office and Northern Ireland Office. The first half of JIC's meeting are attended by the CIA and representatives of the Canadian and Australian intelligence services. Weekly intelligence reports are sent to Minsters in the JIC Red Book every Thursday morning.

House of Lords Hansard 19.5.92; Independent 16.6.92.<

Our work is only possible with your support.
Become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.

 Previous article

Annual report on MI5

Next article 

MI6: accountable or secret?

 

Spotted an error? If you've spotted a problem with this page, just click once to let us know.

Report error

Statewatch does not have a corporate view, nor does it seek to create one, the views expressed are those of the author. Statewatch is not responsible for the content of external websites and inclusion of a link does not constitute an endorsement. Registered UK charity number: 1154784. Registered UK company number: 08480724. Registered company name: The Libertarian Research & Education Trust. Registered office: MayDay Rooms, 88 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1DH. © Statewatch ISSN 1756-851X. Personal usage as private individuals "fair dealing" is allowed. We also welcome links to material on our site. Usage by those working for organisations is allowed only if the organisation holds an appropriate licence from the relevant reprographic rights organisation (eg: Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK) with such usage being subject to the terms and conditions of that licence and to local copyright law.

About | Contact | Privacy Policy