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4489) Former (.. Ofice TF NOVEMBER 1955 into the leak, the narrowing of the sus- picion down to Maclean, and the escape of the two traitors that Government took a number of steps before, during and after their flight. When the present Government suc- ceeded in October, 1953, much had already been done to investigate the whole circumstances of the case and to improve our security measures. From that point, the responsibility rests with them. . The White Paper published on 23rd September has given a short, but, I be- lieve, correct and objective, account of the story of these two men and of the various incidents that surround this Strange drama. I have seen a large number of criticisms in the Press and else- where arising from the White Paper, and I fear it will be necessary to deal with them in some detail. First, dhere is the general question of the amount of information given to the public. We are accused of having said too little and too late. Secondly, there are the detailed criticisms of the way the affair was dealt with throughout its various stages. The chief points at issue are, I think, as follows. There is the question of the original appointments of Maclean and Burgess ivergent as they were. There is the question of their progress in the Service. There is the question of whether, in view of certain incidents in their careers, Mac- Jean and Burgess sbould have been dismissed the Service, or, at least, whether they should have been ted as they were. There is the question of the watch kept upon Maclean when he became suspect. There is the question of the escape of Maclean, and how he got warning, and whether he should have been prevented from teaving England taking Burgess with him. There is the question the defection of Mrs. Mac- Jean. There is a general criticism of the incompetence of inefficiency of the security .measures taken both by the Foreign Office and by the Security 1 will try to deal with all these if I can, but before I do s0 perhaps the House will allow me to make one of two preliminary observations. : . It has been stated that security in the Foreign Office ought to be in the hands of nen were Officials rviseppearance 1490 the Security Service. It is argued that Foreign Scrvice officers who are dealing with security are amatcurs or are doing a job for which they have no background or training. At present, as the House perhaps knows, each public Department is responsible for its own security—the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Supply, and all the other public Departments. The officials who are for the time being - in charge of this work are in the closest and most constant touch with the Security Service and continually seek their advice, * and I know of no case where their advice has been disregarded. - wee It is true that the Foreign Office officials—it is true for the Ministry of - Supply or other Depariments—are amateurs in the sense that they do not spend their whole carcers upon this job. Nevertheless, this has a corresponding advantage, for it means that an increasing number of officers in the Service, both at home and abroad, gain some experience of security work. Security work in the Foreign Service really falls into two categories. Many hon. Members will know this well. There is what one might call the physical and technical side ahe boxes, the keys, the ciphers, the pre- cautions against listening in apparatus, and all the rest of that side of it. a Then there is what one might call the human side, involving personalities. IM is argued that members of the Service itself have a natural reluctance to report adversely on or to take action against their own colleagues. But I believe—I hope the House, on reflection, will share this view—that, broadly speaking, security as well as efficiency is better safeguarded in this way and a due sense of respon- sibility is thus maintained, . .- For my part, I am not much attracted by the only other aliernative, tbat there should be a kind of N.K.V.D. or Ogpa system in our public offices; in other words, that everybody, wherever he goes and whatever he does, bigh and low, should be watched by an appropriat officer of a police department. : Mr. Percy Daines (East Ham, North): . Mr. Macmillan: J have & tong speech to make, Perhaps I might be allowed to develop what I bave to say in detail, ... e a ret ety ee en ee ere ee omen ene: 7 Ve ms