Minutes of the Twenty-first Meeting of the Committee (Deputy Directors) Held in Conference Room "G", at the Ministry of Defence, S.W.I, on Wednesday, 22nd February, 1950, at 11.00 a.m.

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Minutes of the Twenty-first Meeting of the Committee (Deputy Directors) Held in Conference Room "G", at the Ministry of Defence, S.W.I, on Wednesday, 22nd February, 1950, at 11.00 a.m.

SECRET MR. BRAIN suggested that the problem was parallel to that in which it had been proposed that a report should be prepared as strategic guidance to Colonial Governors. In that instance the Chiefs of Staff had approved+ the conclusions≠ of the Joint Planning Staff that an overall report was not a suitable medium for providing strategic guidance to Colonial Governors but that such guidance should be obtained through appropriate British Defence Co-ordination Committees. MR. MORGAN said that the British Defence Co-ordination Committees provided the complete answer for Colonial territories in the Middle East and Far East. The West African colonies received guidance and advice from the General Officer Commanding. The position was not so satisfactory in other Colonies but these were mainly remote and, in this connection, less important. Local Intelligence Committees had only been established so far in a few Colonial areas but it was the intention of the Colonial Office to issue instructions to Colonial Governors on this subject arising out of the comments on the despatch by Sir Henry Gurney. The Joint Intelligence Committee had already commentedØ on that portion of the despatch dealing with local Intelligence Committees. He took note that the Joint Intelligence Bureau would shortly be circulating a study on local Intelligence Committees in Colonial territories, and this might be useful to the Colonial Office as possibly enabling them to deal separately with the question of local Intelligence Committees without waiting for departmental agreement on other aspects of Sir Henry Gurney's despatch. MR. YOUNG said that the Joint Scientific and Joint Technical Intelligence Committees were studying the problem of the possibility of clandestine attacks on crops and live stock by biological or chemical means. There might be a threat to the Colonies represented by such attacks, and the Colonial Office, being represented on the Committee, would be able to advise on the best method by which the Colonial Governors might be warned of any threat. MR. MORGAN agreed that dissemination of this information could best be carried out by the Colonial Office in consultation with the Committee, and that the Oversea Defence Committee would not be an appropriate channel. In discussion, it was generally agreed that, in the light of the views expressed, little value would be obtained from the preparation of an overall assessment of the internal and external threat to the Colonial territories but that local authorities should seek guidance on such matters from Security Service representatives, local Intelligence Committees where or when formed, and through their regional Intelligence organisations. THE COMMITTEE:- Invited Mr. Morgan to represent their views to the Oversea Defence Committee Working Party. + C.O.S. (49) 3rd Meeting. ≠ J.P. (48) 113. Ø J.I.C. (49) 82 -2-
Collection ID
CAB159
Conflict
Cold War
Document Reference
CAB 159/7/23
File Reference
CAB 159/0007
Identifier
10.1080/swwf.cab159.0007.023
Keywords
Security Colonies Empire Imperial Defence Intelligence Requirements Intelligence Reports Sabotage Former Colonies Military Intelligence War Preparations Contingency Planning Defence Agriculture Hong Kong Chinese Foreign Policy Chinese Civil War Assessing Enemy Strength Predicting Enemy Intentions Communism Censorship Occupied Germany Intelligence Services Responsibilities Intelligence Gathering Secrecy Postal Communications Soviet-yugoslav Relations Invasion Threat Threat Of War With The Ussr Diplomatic Disputes Weapons Trade Equipment Soviet Satellite States Military Supplies Trade Economy Economic Intelligence Training
Pages
8
Published in
United Kingdom
Series
Ministry of Defence and Cabinet Office: Central Intelligence Machinery: Joint Intelligence Sub-Committee Later Committee: Minutes (JIC Series). Joint Intelligence Sub-Committee. Meetings 1 (0)-60 (0)
Themes
Foreign Policy and International Relations Intelligence Gathering and Surveillance Military Intelligence and Operations