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Consultative Group on Security and Intelligence Records

The Cabinet Office, with the agreement of the Permanent Secretary, Intelligence, Security and Resilience has established an interdepartmental group on security and intelligence records. The group, now known as the Consultative Group on Security and Intelligence records, held its first meeting in July 2004 and plans to meet at roughly six-monthly intervals to consider a range of issues concerning security intelligence–related records.

The group is chaired by the Head of Cabinet Office Knowledge and Information Management Unit, Roger Smethurst, and includes representatives from:

• the United Kingdom's Intelligence Agencies
• the Foreign & Commonwealth Office,
• Ministry of Defence
• Home Office
• Northern Ireland Office
• The National Archives (TNA)

From the academic community, the group also includes:

• Professor Christopher Andrew (University of Cambridge)
• Professor Peter Hennessy (University of London)

The purpose of the group, as set out in its agreed terms of reference, is to consider requests form historians and other researches of security and intelligence records and to respond where possible by:

• facilitating the use of records that are already available;
• disseminating work in progress;
• identifying forthcoming releases;
• taking forward consideration of records on particular topics for possible release; and
• undetaking an annual review of releases.
• What is and is not available?
• Where can it be found?
• How are decisions taken on whether to release material?
• What difference does the Freedom of Information Act make?

The consultative group will help to answer these questions by providing information and guidance through this website. The group cannot answer enquiries about specific records or requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which should continue to be addressed to TNA or individual departments. If there is a particular area of guidance that you consider would be helpful, however, you may email the group at recordsgroup@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk

Further information

Consultative Group meetings

Summaries of Consultative Group meetings will be made available following acceptance of the minutes.

• 11 September 2009
• 10 September 2008
• 25 April 2008
• 29 June 2006
• 8 February 2006
• 24 October 2005
• 17 June 2005
• 23 February 2005

National Intelligence Machinery

For information about the records of the security and intelligence agencies, see National Intelligence Machinery [PDF, 152KB, 42 pages].

Research Guide to Intelligence Records in the National Archives

Research Guide to Intelligence Records - An online guide to help you find and interpret the records you need for your research. The guide will highlight newly released records.

Notes on Cabinet Office Intelligence-related records

• Notes on the Central Intelligence Machinery division of Cabinet Office records and other intelligence-related Cabinet Office records [PDF 395KB, 17 pages]

Articles relating to security and intelligence related topics

Security Service Records Retention and Release Policy by Sir Stephen Lander, Director General Security Service (1996-2002).

Security Service documents release talk

Professor Christopher Andrew talks about espionage and tracking down enemy agents [External website] [27 February 2008] 

On-line exhibition

Security and Intelligence history [External website]