§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Prime Minister whether she has yet received the report of the Security Commission on the 137W security arrangements at 9 Signal Regiment and the other static communications units of all three services; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterThough the members of 9 Signal Regiment who had been charged with offences under the Official Secrets Acts were acquitted, it was clear that some questions remained to be answered about the security arrangements at this and other static communications units of the armed services. As I announced to the House on 12 November 1985, I therefore invited the Security Commission
To consider the measures already in hand for improving security arrangements at 9 Signal Regiment and the other static communications units of all three Services, and to advise whether these are adequate or whether any further changes are necessary or desirable.The commission has now completed its task and has submitted its report. I am most grateful to the chairman, Lord Griffiths, and to Lord Justice Lloyd, Lord Allen of Abbeydale and General Sir Hugh Beach for their work. A Command Paper is being published this afternoon giving the full text of the commission's report, save for five appendices which contain highly classified information which it would not be in the public interest to disclose.
The commission has had access to detailed information about the reviews of security procedures at 9 Signal Regiment and other units which have been carried out by the Ministry of Defence, and I understand that it has taken oral evidence from those who conducted the reviews. In its report the commission commends the urgency and thoroughness of the work which the Ministry of Defence has undertaken, and the speed and readiness with which the recommendations emanating from those reviews were accepted. The commission has endorsed those recommendations and has made three additional ones:
- (i.) That there should be random searches of baggage and clothing, including pockets and an occasional "frisk" at static communications units.
- (ii.) That any information compiled by a unit security officer indicating that an individual might be "at risk" should be passed on to the next unit security officer when the individual is posted.
- (iii.) That, so far as possible, postings of very young service men and women to Cyprus, or to other sensitive locations, should be avoided.
The security objectives set by the commission in these recommendations are fully accepted, and the Ministry of Defence is now urgently considering how to implement them most effectively. The commission believes that when these and the earlier recommendations are fully
138W
Standard/Basic Rate of Income Tax 1956–57 to 1986–87 Year Standard Rate Year Standard Rate/Basic Rate Year Basic-Rate Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. 1956–57 42.50 (33.06) 1966–67 41.25 (32.08) 1976–77 35.00 1957–58 42.50 (33.06) 1967–68 41.25 (32.08) 1977–78 34.00 1958–59 42.50 (33.06) 1968–69 41.25 (32.08) 1978–79 33.00 1959–60 38.75 (30.14) 1969–70 41.25 (32.08) 1979–80 30.00 1960–61 38.75 (30.14) 1970–71 41.25 (32.08) 1980–81 30.00 1961–62 38.75 (30.14) 1971–72 38.75 (30.14) 1981–82 30.00 1962–63 38.75 (30.14) 1972–73 38.75 (30.14) 1982–83 30.00 1963–64 38.75 (30.14) 1973–74 30.00 1983–84 30.00 1964–65 38.75 (30.14) 1974–75 33.00 1984–85 30.00 1965–66 41.25 (32.08) 1975–76 35.00 1985–86 30.00 1986–87 29.00 implemented, everything that can be done will be being done to ensure that, so far as it is humanly possible to do so, the danger of further breaches of security at these highly sensitive units is minimised.