◆ SpookStack

Principal Private Secretary told him of a call by a senior newspaper ¢zecutive who had said that a story had been sold by a girl to a newspaper and it would include passages in which she was involved with Mr. imo and in which the Russian Assistant Naval Attaché also figured. The, Deputy Director-General said it was recognisably the same story as they already bad: and it was agreed that the first step was to see Mr. Profumo and see if there: was any truth in it. The Private Secretary said he would tell the Chief Whip: and the Prime Minister. (Full details are given in Chapter VII, paragraphs. 263. It is to be noted that the object of the Prime Minister's Private Secretary was simply to tell the Security Service about the call of the newspaper executive and to get any information which might be useful for him (the’ Private Secretary) to report to the Prime Minister. His object was not to ask the Security Service for a report as some might think from what the Prime Minister said in the House of Commons on 17th June, 1963 (Hansard, col. 56). The Security Service did not understand that they were to make a report. Nor indeed that anythitig more was required of them at that stage. oo, fap moe : en rhe , » - (vi) 4th February, 1963—Ansother Important Decision . 64. Meanwhile one of the officers of the Security Service had prepared a minute which came before the Head of the Security Service on 4th February, 1963, It is filled, as he told me, with prophetic insight. It is of much importance and I set it out in full: ae oo “Jf a scandal results from Mr. Profumo’s association with Christine Keeler, there is likely to be a considerable political rumpus in the present climate produced by the Radcliffe Tribunal. If in any subsequent inquiries we were found to have been in possession of this information about Profumo and to have taken no action on it, we would, I am sure, be subject to much criticism for failing to bring it to light. I suggest that this information be passed to the Prime Minister and you might also like to consider whether or not, before doing so, we should interview Miss Keeler.” og . 265. The Head of the Security Service considered this minute and discussed it too with his Deputy. They appreciated the point that if a scandal results from Christine Keeler’s association with Mr. Profumo there is likely to be a considerable political rumpus—but they thought that that was essentially a political matter which was now in the hands of the politicians and not the concern of the Security Service. They knew that Admiralty _ House were in possession of the story and had decided to confront Mr. Profumo with it. The Head of the Security Service felt that the action which the officer was suggesting was leading them outside the proper function of the Security Service and that he ought to pull him back a bit. So he issued a firm instruction not to go into it: . gous “The allegations there referred to are known to Admirefly House. No inquiries on this subject should be made by us.” * - : Thus the important decision was made that the Security Service should not pursue any investigation in the matter, In particular they should not interview. 88