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to security. Thereafter ‘steps must be taken to see that secret information’ wen 5 _ is not handted- iby anyone who, for Weological or _other motives, may = betray it.” io tors : 7. Her Majesty” s Government ¢ agree with this broad ‘analysis and wilh “"* > -- continue to base their policy on Presenting. persons of this nature from 7 having access to seeret information. “ ne te Dye Dude 8. Aguinst the background of this ecneral analy’ sis, of “which only a: very brief outline has been given, the Conference address themselves to an cxamination of the Government's security arrangements. Their main - conclusion is that there is nothing organically wrong or unsound about those arr, ange omens, They moke,. however. certain recommend: ations, the nurpose a of which is lo strengthen the system in some respects. Her Majesty's Government paoe 1. propose to give effect to all the recommendations which the Conference © - ote have made. oe rasanrnica fictd and. the Atomic Emery Otmatisation the need for stringent security - ; 7 precautions is greater than elsewhere, Her Majesty's Government AOCEPL Bia e this view. ; . - @® recom at fee of eh eee pe? cereal 10. Some of ihe recone idutions aun ECHL Ge al with what may de called the relation between security risks and defects of character — and conduct. The Conference recognise that to-day great importance must |” be paid to character defects as factors tending to make a man unreliable | or expose him to blackaail, or influence by foreign agents. There is a duty .. ... on Departments to ioform themselves of serigus failings such us drunkenness, _.; addiction to drugs. homosexuality or any loose living that may seriously me aflect a man’s reliability, : : 11. There is a natural reluctance to make adverse reports on colleagues et and nothing could be worse than to encourage tale-bearing or malicious... . gossip. Nevertheless, if is important to impress not only on Heads of “777 7 Departments but on supervisory officers generally that it is their duty te a know theit staff and that they must not fail to report anything which affects * security, This covers both evidence which suggests Communist associations *~ ~ * or sympathies. and also serious defects or faitings which might jeopardise *' the security of the seclion of the public service in their charge. The © Government accept this recommendation, alihough they recognise ihat the one Measures necessary to give effect io it will require very careful consideration. | #. + 12. While confining themselves to the security aspect of these defects“ *~ of character and conduct, the Conference also record the view that in “HE: ~ individual cases or in certain sections of the public service. a serious character 277, defect may uppropriaicly be ihe dciermining factor in a decision 10 dismiss | wat a particular individual or to transfer him to other work. Ce a 2 13. The Conference also recommend that it should be recognised that aa a the fact that a public servant is a Communist aot only bars his employment ~ on secret duties, but may also in some Departments h have 3 an unfavourable (yy 2. effect on his prospects of promotion. - . . - a nannies eee me - Ams Be Ate whem ager 14. The Conference also make a series of recommendations which turn on the risk presented by those in regard to whom there is no evidence that $< 2 they are themselves members of the Communist Party. but evidence existe $+... --2<+-- of Communist sympathies or of close association with members of the f.o7%..° 1 Communist Party. re ; Be tee wat Vom. Ree corneas 49666