HL Deb 30 March 1972 vol 329 cc1163-4
LORD SHINWELL

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the recent prosecution of a naval officer for an act of espionage, top-secret documents and information will in future be confined to officers of higher rank.]

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE (LORD CARRINGTON)

My Lords, the naval officer in question did not have access to top secret documents or information. Access to classified information is limited to persons of whatever rank who need to know it in order to do their work efficiently. It would be impracticable to limit access to top secret information to any specific rank.

LORD SHINWELL

My Lords, is it not rather strange that a junior naval officer should have access to information the conveyance of which merited a sentence of 21 years' imprisonment—a sentence of extreme severity which indicates that the conveying of information to a potential enemy was a serious and grave offence? Is it not also remarkable that many of the cases of espionage have emerged from the Admiralty in recent years, and would it not be desirable to investigate the security arrangements at the Admiralty and in the Navy in general in order to ensure that cases of this kind do not occur in the future?

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, with regard to the noble Lord's first question, I do not think I ought to add to the Answer I have given because the officer in question has appealed against sentence—not against conviction, but against sentence—and I do not think I ought to go into any further detail about that. With regard to the noble Lord's second question, as he may remember I had some personal experience of naval security and this is very much in my mind, and I can assure him that we are constantly looking into it.

LORD SHINWELL

My Lords, with great respect, is the noble Lord aware that I also have some knowledge of security relating to when I was in a Service Department, because as Minister of Defence I had some responsibility for the Navy and I am aware that occasionally security has been impinged upon to the detriment of this country? At any rate, will the noble Lord, Lord Carrington, give an assurance that this matter will be very carefully watched in future?

LORD CARRINGTON

Of course I will give that assurance, my Lords. I think the noble Lord misunderstood me when I said that I had some experience of naval security. He perhaps will remember that there were a number of spies in the Admiralty at the time when I was First Lord of the Admiralty, and as a result of that we did a great deal to tighten up security there. But I do of course give him that assurance, and I share his views.

LORD SHINWELL

My Lords, will the noble Lord take it from me that I am not indulging in any criticism of him personally? But I am concerned about the frequent cases of espionage, which are very grave and causing a great deal of worry in circles that are concerned about the security of this country.

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I share the noble Lords view.

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