§ Dr. Julian LewisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if files held by the Security Service showing the involvement of individuals with the Soviet International propaganda front network will be preserved for their historic value; and if the subsequent political careers of those individuals will be a factor in assessing the historic value of their files; [23673]
(2) if Security Service files on (a) the 1926 General Strike and (b) the 1984–85 miners' strike are to be preserved for their historic value; [23622]
(3) if files compiled by the Security Service and setting out the extent to which individuals co-operated with domestic or foreign fascist or communist organisations or regimes are to be preserved for their historic value; [23674]
(4) if Security Service files on the activities in the United Kingdom of (a) the World Peace Council, (b) the World Federation of Trade Unions, (c) the World Federation of Scientific Workers, (d) the World Federation of Democratic Youth, (e) the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, (f) the International Organisation of Journalists, (g) the International Union of Students and (h) the Women's International Democratic Federation are to be destroyed; [23677]
(5) if the Security Service files which are planned to be destroyed will be individually evaluated for their historical significance; [23679]
(6) what are the criteria for deciding that a Security Service file is of no historical value and should be destroyed; [23680]
(7) if the possible re-emergence of anti-democratic regimes abroad has been assessed as a factor in determining the policy towards destroying Security Service files on previous British supporters of such regimes; [23678]
(8) if Security Service files on the activities of (a) the British Union of Fascists, (b) the Communist Party of Great Britain, (c) the Union Movement, (d) the Communist Party of Britain, (e) the Revolutionary Socialist League/Militant Tendency, (f) the British Peace Assembly, (g) the British-Soviet Friendship Society, (h) the British Peace Committee, (i) the Workers' Revolutionary Party, (j) Class War and (k) the Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) will be preserved for their historic value. [23676]
§ Mr. StrawThe Security Service retains only those records which it needs to carry out its functions or which are of historical importance. It is a matter for the Director General to decide upon the detailed criteria to be adopted in either case, taking account of the requirements of the Security Service Act 1989, the Public Records Act 1958514W and central guidance on the identification of records likely to be of historical interest. The Service currently applies the following criteria in deciding whether a record is likely to be of historical interest, although each file is examined individually and considered on its merits as a whole:
- (a) major investigations,
- (b) important subversive figures, terrorists and spies,
- (c) individuals involved in important historical events,
- (d) causes celebres in a security context,
- (e) files which contain original papers of historical interest,
- (f) major changes of Service policy, organisation or procedures,
- (g) files which are in some way "period pieces", e.g. they illustrate clearly Security Service attitudes/techniques of the time.
- (h) milestones in the Service's history.
It would be contrary to the interests of national security to confirm or deny whether the Security Service holds records on any particular individuals or organisations.
§ Dr. Julian LewisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his letter of 8 December on Security Service files, what steps he will take to ensure that(a) no files are destroyed by the Security Service except after proper review and (b) files which are destroyed are those which are either no longer required by the service to carry out its statutory functions or are judged not to be of historical importance or both. [23675]
§ Mr. StrawThe Security Service Act 1989 provides that the operations of the Service are under the control of the Director General and it is a matter for him to decide which files should be destroyed in accordance with stated policy. I have every confidence that he will continue to carry out his responsibilities in this area with due regard to the operational needs of the Service and the requirements of the Public Records Act 1958, taking account of any central guidance on the preservation of records of likely historical interest.
§ Dr. Julian LewisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the criteria which were adopted by the Security Service at the end of the Second World War for the preservation or destruction of files relating to sympathisers with the defeated adversary. [23620]
§ Mr. StrawIn November 1945, the Director General of the Security Service ordered a review of the Service's records to identify which could be summarised or destroyed. He set down the following principles to guide officers in the review process
(a) There is a paramount necessity to restrict the records of the Service to matters which are now its proper concern. Superfluous information impedes work rather than assists it. The test is whether or not the matter recorded would have any value if brought forward at a later date and if considered in a different context.(b) In reviewing papers for destruction, due regard should also be given to the necessity for preserving information of historical interest, and also that which may be of value in a future emergency as showing how matters of policy and principle were decided. This applies also to methods of inquiry adopted in specific cases or classes of cases. The possible interest of Divisions and Sections not primarily concerned with a particular file must always be borne in mind".