Minutes of the thirty-first Meeting of the sub-committee, held in the Secretary's Room, Great George Street, S.W.1. on Tuesday, 22nd June, 1943, at 10.15 am

BRIGADIER VALE stated that if all this information were necessary M.I. 8 would require a very large increase of Staff. THE SUB-COMMITTEE:- Decided to await the result of the exchange of views between the Director of Military Intelligence and Allied Force Headquarters. 3. FACILITIES FOR COLLECTING INTELLIGENCE IN THE FAR EAST. (Previous Reference: J.I.C.(43) 29th Meeting (0). Item 1, Conclusion (ii)). THE SUB-COMMITTEE had before them a Minute by the secretary (JIC/822/43 dated 17th June, 1943) covering a draft Memorandum for the Chiefs of Staff. THE CHAIRMAN stated his opinion that the Memorandum should not be put before the Chiefs of Staff in its present form and that a precise recommendation as to the requirements in aircraft should be made. THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF (INTELLIGENCE) considered that a start could be made with one special flight. AIR COMMODORE CHAPPELL suggested that the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Intelligence) should discuss the exact composition of this flight with representatives of S.I.S., S.O.E. and P.W.E. THE SUB-COMMITTEE:- Invited the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Intelligence) to convene a meeting to discuss this question between representatives of the Operations authorities of the Air Ministry, N.I.D, S.I.S., S.O.E. and P.W.E., and to formulate definite proposals as to the air requirements. The Joint Intelligence Sub-Committee would then put the final proposals before the Chiefs of Staff. 4. CENSORSHIP. THE SUB-COMMITTEE had before them a Minute by the Secretary (JIC/843/43 dated 20th June, 1943) covering a letter from the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Intelligence), ACASI/129A/43 dated 20th June, 1943. AIR COMMODORE CHAPPELL stated that a "stop" had been put by the Ministry of Information on the "method of travel" of H.M. The King, but none the less references to it had appeared in several papers. THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF (INTELLIGENCE) stated that he had brought this matter before the Joint Intelligence Sub-Committee because he had realised that the whole question of Press censorship needed examination. He quoted the recent articles in the Press about Mediterranean operations. -2-