The Defence of the Realm (180 page)

59
 Security Service Archives.

60
 Security Service Archives.

61
 Benson and Warner (eds),
VENONA
,
pp. xxviii
,
167
–
70
. KGB files show that Weisband had been recruited as a Soviet agent in 1934; Weinstein and Vassiliev,
Haunted Wood
,
p. 291
.

62
 Interviews with Cecil Phillips and Meredith Gardner in the BBC Radio 4 documentary
VENONA
, written and presented by Christopher Andrew (producers: Mark Burman and Helen Weinstein), first broadcast on 18 March 1998.

63
 Weinstein and Vassiliev,
Haunted Wood
,
p. 291
.

64
 Security Service Archives.

65
 Security Service Archives.

66
 Benson and Warner (eds),
VENONA
,
pp. xxvii
–
xxviii
.

67
 Interview with Meredith Gardner by Christopher Andrew, broadcast in the BBC Radio 4 documentary
VENONA
. Claims that Philby made further visits to AFSA and looked over Gardner's shoulder as he decrypted VENONA are inaccurate. A Security Service report in 1986 concluded that, ‘apart from Weisband and Philby there are no known spies who had access [to VENONA].' Security Service Archives.

68
 Security Service Archives.

69
 Security Service Archives.

70
 A CIA study confirms that Philby regularly received translated VENONA decrypts and assessments from AFSA.
www.cia.gov/csi/books/venona/preface.htm
.

71
 Security Service Archives.

72
 Because of lack of usable evidence, Weisband was never prosecuted for espionage. After his suspension from AFSA on suspicion of disloyalty, he was convicted of contempt for failing to attend a federal grand jury hearing on Communist Party activity and sentenced to a year's imprisonment (Benson and Warner (eds),
VENONA
,
p. xxviii
).

73
 Some of the decrypts which identified Fuchs, Greenglass and the Rosenbergs are reproduced in ibid. On Fuchs, see below,
pp. 386
–
8
.

74
 See below,
pp. 431
–
2
.

75
 Security Service Archives.

76
 Security Service Archives.

77
 See below,
p. 433
.

78
 Security Service Archives.

79
 Security Service Archives.

80
 Security Service Archives. The final total of KGB, GRU and naval GRU messages between Moscow and Stockholm decrypted in whole or part was over 450;
www.nsa.gov/publications/publi00039.cfm
.

81
 Security Service Archives. The first published analysis of the X Group by Nigel West misidentifies NOBILITY as Ivor Montagu and INTELLIGENTSIA as Haldane; West,
Venona
, ch. 3. West was, however, the first historian to pay serious attention to the GRU decrypts.

82
 Security Service Archives. Following a Commons question in 1997, an MI5 officer noted, ‘As far as I can tell from the VENONA records we have never seriously attempted to identify BARON.' Security Service Archives. Peter Wright (
Spycatcher
,
p. 238
) identified BARON as ‘probably' the Czech intelligence officer Karel Sedlacek, as does West,
Venona
,
pp. 67
–
9
. NSA regards BARON as unidentified;
www.nsa.gov/publications/publi00039.cfm
.

83
 Security Service Archives.

84
 Security Service Archives.

85
 Security Service Archives.

Chapter 4: Vetting, Atom Spies and Protective Security

1
 Security Service Archives.

2
 A. J. D. Winnifrith, ‘The Evolution of the Present Security System in the Civil Service', 5 Dec. 1955, Security Conference of Privy Counsellors, S.C.P.C.(55)4, 6 Dec. 1955, TNA CAB 134/1325. Winnifrith's memorandum does not identify the Communist private secretary.

3
 Ibid.

4
 See above,
p. 348
.

5
 Cabinet Committee on Subversive Activities, ‘The Employment of Civil Servants etc. Exposed to Communist Influence', 29 May 1947, GEN 183/1, TNA CAB 130/20.

6
 Minute by Attlee, 21 Dec. 1947, GEN 183/1, TNA CAB 130/20.

7
 Security Service Archives.

8
 Security Service Archives.

9
 Security Service Archives.

10
 Security Service Archives.

11
 Initially the Treasury had envisaged that the cases of all those purged should be referred to a senior civil servant who would co-ordinate policy in the operation of the procedure. The other founder members of the Tribunal, in addition to Gardiner, were Sir Frederick Leggett and Sir Maurice Holmes, both retired civil servants. Holmes was soon replaced by W. J. Bowen, an ex-trade unionist, but continued to act as a reserve in the absence of any other member of the board. Security Service Archives.

12
 Security Service Archives.

13
 See below,
pp. 400
–
401
.

14
 Security Service Archives.

15
 It was originally envisaged that those sacked in the ‘Industrial Purge' would be given a right of appeal, similar to that enjoyed by government servants. However, this concept was abandoned on the advice of both the TUC and employers as represented on the National Joint Advisory Council. Sackings were rare and handled by the industrial section, C2, in consultation at first with B1D (Communism in industry). Security Service Archives.

16
 Hennessy and Brownfeld, ‘Britain's Cold War Security Purge',
p. 968
.

17
 Guy Liddell diary, 1 Jan. 1950, Security Service Archives.

18
 Andrew,
For the President's Eyes Only
,
p. 177
.

19
 Guy Liddell diary, 24 Sept. 1949, Security Service Archives.

20
 Ibid.

21
 Benson and Warner (eds),
VENONA
,
p. xxv
.

22
 Guy Liddell diary, 20 Sept. 1949, Security Service Archives.

23
 Details of the MI5 investigation into Fuchs are in TNA KV 2/1245ff. The most up-to-date secondary accounts include Gibbs, ‘British and American Counter-Intelligence and the Atom Spies', ch. 3; Walton, ‘British Intelligence and Threats to National Security',
pp. 237
–
48
.

24
 Andrew and Gordievsky,
KGB
,
p. 322
.

25
 Guy Liddell diary, 12 Sept. 1949, Security Service Archives.

26
 James Robertson, ‘Progress report', 16 Sept. 1949, TNA KV 2/1246, s. 124. TNA KV 2/1266–7 include telephone checks and eavesdropping reports on Fuchs.

27
 TNA KV 2/1246; Walton, ‘British Intelligence and Threats to National Security',
p. 243
.

28
 Guy Liddell diary, 25 Jan. 1950, Security Service Archives.

29
 Ibid., 29 Oct. 1949.

30
 Ibid., 19 Dec. 1949.

31
 Ibid., 21 Dec. 1949.

32
 W. J. Skardon, ‘Emil Julius Klaus Fuchs. Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Interviews', 31 Jan. 1950, TNA KV 2/1250, s. 443ab.

33
 James Robertson, Note, 24 Jan. 1950, TNA KV 2/1250, s. 433a.

34
 Walton, ‘British Intelligence and Threats to National Security',
p. 244
.

35
 Security Service Archives.

36
 Security Service Archives.

37
 Guy Liddell diary, 27 March 1950, Security Service Archives.

38
 Security Service Archives.

39
 Security Service Archives. TNA KV 4/242, s. 52b.

40
 ‘Extract from statement made by Dr. Fuchs to the FBI', 26 May 1950, TNA KV 2/1255, s. 689a; Goodman, ‘Who is Trying to Keep What Secrets from Whom and Why?'

41
 PV(50)11, Committee on Positive Vetting. Report, 27 Oct. 1950, TNA CAB 120/30. Hennessy,
Secret State
,
p. 90
.

42
 GEN 183, 5th Meeting, 5 April 1950, TNA CAB 130/20.

43
 Guy Liddell diary, 1 Jan. 1950, Security Service Archives.

44
 JIC (50) 21 (Final), ‘Clandestine use of atomic weapons', 12 June 1950, TNA CAB 158/9.

45
 Andrew,
For the President's Eyes Only
,
pp. 184
–
7
.

46
 Hennessy,
Secret State
,
pp. xvii
–
xviii
; TNA AVIA IR (50) 5 Final, ‘Ministry of Defence. Imports Research Committee, report to Chiefs of Staff', 2 Nov. 1950,
p. 5
.

47
 ‘Review of B Division', July 1950, TNA KV 4/162.

48
 Security Service Archives.

49
 ‘Security Service action in the case of Pontecorvo', Ministry of Supply brief drafted with help of Roger Hollis, 6 Nov. 1950, TNA KV 4/242, s. 54d. The best accounts of the Pontecorvo case which draw on declassified MI5 files are Gibbs, ‘British and American Counter-Intelligence and the Atom Spies', ch. 5, and Walton, ‘British Intelligence and Threats to National Security',
pp. 248
–
52
.

50
 G. T. D. Patterson (SLO Washington) to London, 13 Nov. 1950, TNA KV 4/242, s. 64a.

51
 Guy Liddell diary, 23 Oct. 1950, Security Service Archives.

52
 Ibid., 21 Oct. 1950.

53
 ‘Security Service Action in the case of Pontecorvo', TNA KV 4/242. Gibbs, ‘British and American Counter-Intelligence and the Atom Spies', ch. 5.

54
 Hollis to Geoffrey Patterson (SLO Washington), 23 Nov. 1950, TNA KV 4/252. Gibbs, ‘British and American Counter-Intelligence and the Atom Spies', ch. 5.

55
 G. T. D. Patterson (SLO Washington) to London, 22 Oct. 1950, TNA KV 4/242, s. 45a.

56
 Meeting by DDG [Liddell] and Director B [White] with SIS, 21 Oct. 1950, TNA KV 4/242, s. 13a.

57
 Michael Serpell, Account of meeting between Prime Minister and Director General, 2 Nov. 1950, TNA KV 4/242. Gibbs, ‘British and American Counter-Intelligence and the Atom Spies', ch. 5.

58
 Andrew and Gordievsky,
KGB
,
p. 327
.

59
 Security Service Archives. Boris Davison's PF was declassified in 2007: TNA KV 2/2579–85.

60
 A. J. D. Winnifrith, ‘The Evolution of the Present Security System in the Civil Service', 5 Dec. 1955, Security Conference of Privy Counsellors, S.C.P.C.(55)4, 6 Dec. 1955, TNA CAB 134/1325.

61
 ‘Boris Davison', April 1952 (paper handed by DG to Home Secretary on 15 May 1952), Security Service Archives.

62
 GEN 183, 6th Meeting, 13 Nov. 1950, TNA CAB 130/20.

63
 Ibid.

64
 A. J. D. Winnifrith, ‘The Evolution of the Present Security System in the Civil Service', 5 Dec. 1955, Security Conference of Privy Counsellors, S.C.P.C.(55)4, 6 Dec. 1955, CAB 134/1325.

65
 See below,
pp. 425
–
6
.

66
 GEN 183, 7th Meeting, 17 Aug. 1951, TNA CAB 130/20.

67
 A. J. D. Winnifrith, ‘The Evolution of the Present Security System in the Civil Service', 5 Dec. 1955, Security Conference of Privy Counsellors, S.C.P.C.(55)4, 6 Dec. 1955, CAB 134/1325.

68
 GEN 183, 7th Meeting, 17 Aug. 1951, TNA CAB 130/20.

69
 Walton, ‘British Intelligence and Threats to National Security',
p. 260
.

70
 Hennessy,
Cabinets and the Bomb
,
p. 69
.

71
 The five ministers were Bevin, Morrison, A. V. Alexander (Minister of Defence), Lord Addison (Dominions Secretary) and John Wilmot (Minister of Supply). GEN 163, 1st Meeting, 8 Jan. 1947, ‘Confidential Annex Minute 1. Research in Atomic Weapons', TNA CAB 130/16.

72
 Lord Cherwell to Prime Minister, 29 July 1954; minute by Churchill, 4 Aug. 1954, TNA PREM 11/761.

73
 Security Service Archives.

74
 Two other committees reported to the Official Committee: the Personnel Committee (previously the Positive Vetting Committee), chaired by the Treasury, and the Committee on General Security Procedures, under the chairmanship of the Home Office. A Security Service officer, the Hon. J. L. Vernon, was seconded to the Cabinet Office in December 1953 to serve as secretary of both committees. The Personnel Committee, with Director C as the Service representative, worked comparatively smoothly. The Committee on General Security Procedures did not. In 1957, after the exasperated Security Service representative, Michael Serpell (C1), complained to the Home Office that it had not met for nearly two years, it was replaced by a new and more active Security (Policy and Methods) Committee, which also subsumed the JIC Security Committee. Security Service Archives.

75
 SCPC(55)5, ‘Role of the Security Service in Personnel Security. Note by the Security Service', 7 Dec. 1955, TNA CAB 134/1325.