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292. So I had to ask myself, whether I was to inquire into those rumours which arose thus indirectly out of the Profumo Affair, And I bony ogee anxious consideration, that I should. If these rumours were and integrity of public life in this country, and ‘were unfounded, J it my duty to inquire into them and show them to be so. Whereas if they Were well- founded, and affected our national security, the truth should monte hidden. Only in this way could the confidence of the public be restored. Some of those who appeared before me objected to my investigating rumours of this kind.. They said they were. irrelevant. But, rightly or wrongly, I held the contrary. I have investigated them. _ __ . 293. Even so, there were “serious } questions ‘to solve on “the second condition. ve at Gi) What is a Security Risk? 294. All the rumours reported to me were to the effect that a Minister or person prominent in public life had been guilty of immorality or, discreditable conduct of some kind or other. But it is not every piece of immorality or discreditable conduct which can be said to be a * security risk ”. In my opinion immorality or discreditable conduct is only a security risk if it is committed in such circumstances that it might expose the person concerned to blackmail or to undue pressures which might lead him to give away secret information. For instance, I would normally regatd homosexual behaviour, or perverted practices with a prostitute, as creating a security risk, at any rate if it was of recent date. Again I would not ordinarily regard adultery as a security risk, at any rate when committed clandestinely with a person who was not likely to resort to blackmail. Much must depend, however, on the circumstances. The Vassall Case showed how photographs may be taken of persons in compromising situations. The existence of such photographs heightens the security risk: So also do compromising letters. They would be a most potent weapon in the hands of a blackmailer, even after several years. Yet again, to pervert, or to attempt to pervert, the course of justice might well be a security risk. The participants would be under extreme pressure to keep it quiet. In short every case of immorality oc discreditable conduct must depend on its own special circumstances, and not least on the length of time past since it happened, and the likelihood of undue pressure being exerted. Hence the need to investigate the particular circumstances of every case reported to me, and this J have done. (iii) Where Lies the Burden of Proof? _ 295. This raised an important issue: for there was quite a body of opinion to the effect that, where there is a persistent rumour about a Minister which, if believed, would mean that he was a security risk, it must, as a matter of political necessity, be disproved or he must be asked to resign, An analogy was drawn with the Civil Service where a man from secret duties “ because after the fullest investigation, sok cow his reliability remain, even although nothing may have been proved. on standards which would be accepted in a court of law”. (Sep on the Findings of the Privy Councillors on Security (1956) oe ope 296. Whilst I appreciate the political significance of the opision so expressed, I have felt unable to adopt it for the purposes sof my Tnqairy 102