Difference between revisions of "MI5/H Branch"
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| − | '''H Branch''' is a part of the UK [[Security Service]] (MI5) with responsibility for overseas liaison; finance and audit; policy and planning; and information management.<ref>Christopher, Andrew, The Defence of the Realm, Allen Lane, 2009, p.864.</ref> | + | '''H Branch''' is a part of the UK [[Security Service]] (MI5) with responsibility for overseas liaison; finance and audit; policy and planning; and information management.<ref name=Andrew>Christopher, Andrew, The Defence of the Realm, Allen Lane, 2009, p.864.</ref> |
==Earlier incarnations== | ==Earlier incarnations== | ||
| − | In the 1916 War Office reorganisation which created MI5, H Branch had responsibility for the secretariat, registry and administration.<ref | + | In the 1916 War Office reorganisation which created MI5, H Branch had responsibility for the secretariat, registry and administration.<ref name="Andrew" /> |
==Modern version== | ==Modern version== | ||
| − | In MI5's 1988 structure, H Branch had been recreated with responsibility for overseas liaison; training; finance and audit.<ref | + | In MI5's 1988 structure, H Branch had been recreated with responsibility for overseas liaison; training; finance and audit.<ref name="Andrew" /> |
| − | In 1990, [[P Branch]] founded by Sir [[Antony Duff]] to review the service's organisation was wound up and its policy and planning functions incorporated into H Branch. In February 1990, Duff's successor Sir [[Patrick Walker]] tasked officer H1/0 to produce a strategic review of the Service. The result a year later was greeted with little enthusiasm within the Service. [[Jonathan Evans]], then H1B/1, recalled a 'stormy' management board meeting at which Walker clashed with the MI5 legal advisor [[David Bickford]].<ref | + | In 1990, [[P Branch]] founded by Sir [[Antony Duff]] to review the service's organisation was wound up and its policy and planning functions incorporated into H Branch. In February 1990, Duff's successor Sir [[Patrick Walker]] tasked officer H1/0 to produce a strategic review of the Service. The result a year later was greeted with little enthusiasm within the Service. [[Jonathan Evans]], then H1B/1, recalled a 'stormy' management board meeting at which Walker clashed with the MI5 legal advisor [[David Bickford]].<ref name="Andrew" /> |
| − | In MI5's 1994 structure [[S Branch]] and its information management functions were incorporated into H Branch.<ref | + | In MI5's 1994 structure [[S Branch]] and its information management functions were incorporated into H Branch.<ref name="Andrew" /> |
| − | [[Stephen Lander]] became Director of H Branch in 1994. According to official [[MI5]] historian [[Christopher Andrew]], Lander took the "risky but ultimately successful" decision to upgrade MI5's troubled Unix-based word processing system GIFTED CHILD, (nicknamed SPOILED BRAT) to a Microsoft-compatible system.<ref | + | [[Stephen Lander]] became Director of H Branch in 1994. According to official [[MI5]] historian [[Christopher Andrew]], Lander took the "risky but ultimately successful" decision to upgrade MI5's troubled Unix-based word processing system GIFTED CHILD, (nicknamed SPOILED BRAT) to a Microsoft-compatible system.<ref name="Andrew" /> |
| − | Authors Mark Hollingsworth and Nick Fielding offer a more critical account of the episode. They report that MI5 spent four years attempting to develop an in-house system codenamed GRANT before Lander unilaterally decided to scrap the project, which had cost £25 million, in 1995 and buy an off-the-shelf Windows system. Only 40 per cent of MI5 staff had access to the new system by early 1997.<ref>Mark Hollingsworth and Nick Fielding, Defending the Realm: Inside MI5 and the War on Terrorism, André Deutsch, 2000, p.54.</ref> | + | Authors Mark Hollingsworth and Nick Fielding offer a more critical account of the episode. They report that MI5 spent four years attempting to develop an in-house system codenamed GRANT before Lander unilaterally decided to scrap the project, which had cost £25 million, in 1995 and buy an off-the-shelf Windows system. Only 40 per cent of MI5 staff had access to the new system by early 1997.<ref name=HollingworthFielding>Mark Hollingsworth and Nick Fielding, Defending the Realm: Inside MI5 and the War on Terrorism, André Deutsch, 2000, p.54.</ref> |
In 1997, former [[MI5]] officer [[David Shayler]] highlighted H Branch's role when he complained about what he considered excessive bureaucracy in obtaining warrants for telephone tapping: | In 1997, former [[MI5]] officer [[David Shayler]] highlighted H Branch's role when he complained about what he considered excessive bureaucracy in obtaining warrants for telephone tapping: | ||
| − | ::You have to go through a deputy assistant director of the branch, then an assistant director, a director, over to H Branch [Corporate Affairs], back to the desk officer, back to H Branch and then the Deputy Director General would see it. Finally [after his or her approval] you could probably go ahead.<ref | + | ::You have to go through a deputy assistant director of the branch, then an assistant director, a director, over to H Branch [Corporate Affairs], back to the desk officer, back to H Branch and then the Deputy Director General would see it. Finally [after his or her approval] you could probably go ahead.<ref name="HollingworthFielding" /> |
| − | |||
==Structure== | ==Structure== | ||
| − | The following list is taken from the 2003 edition of Hollingsworth and Fielding's ''Defending the Realm: Inside MI5 and the War on Terrorism'' and may now be somewhat dated.<ref | + | The following list is taken from the 2003 edition of Hollingsworth and Fielding's ''Defending the Realm: Inside MI5 and the War on Terrorism'' and may now be somewhat dated.<ref name="HollingworthFielding" /> |
*H1 and H2: Liason with Whitehall, the police and the media, covert financial enquiries, management policy including information technology. | *H1 and H2: Liason with Whitehall, the police and the media, covert financial enquiries, management policy including information technology. | ||
*H4: Finance. | *H4: Finance. | ||
Revision as of 17:27, 14 July 2010
H Branch is a part of the UK Security Service (MI5) with responsibility for overseas liaison; finance and audit; policy and planning; and information management.[1]
Contents
Earlier incarnations
In the 1916 War Office reorganisation which created MI5, H Branch had responsibility for the secretariat, registry and administration.[1]
Modern version
In MI5's 1988 structure, H Branch had been recreated with responsibility for overseas liaison; training; finance and audit.[1]
In 1990, P Branch founded by Sir Antony Duff to review the service's organisation was wound up and its policy and planning functions incorporated into H Branch. In February 1990, Duff's successor Sir Patrick Walker tasked officer H1/0 to produce a strategic review of the Service. The result a year later was greeted with little enthusiasm within the Service. Jonathan Evans, then H1B/1, recalled a 'stormy' management board meeting at which Walker clashed with the MI5 legal advisor David Bickford.[1]
In MI5's 1994 structure S Branch and its information management functions were incorporated into H Branch.[1]
Stephen Lander became Director of H Branch in 1994. According to official MI5 historian Christopher Andrew, Lander took the "risky but ultimately successful" decision to upgrade MI5's troubled Unix-based word processing system GIFTED CHILD, (nicknamed SPOILED BRAT) to a Microsoft-compatible system.[1]
Authors Mark Hollingsworth and Nick Fielding offer a more critical account of the episode. They report that MI5 spent four years attempting to develop an in-house system codenamed GRANT before Lander unilaterally decided to scrap the project, which had cost £25 million, in 1995 and buy an off-the-shelf Windows system. Only 40 per cent of MI5 staff had access to the new system by early 1997.[2]
In 1997, former MI5 officer David Shayler highlighted H Branch's role when he complained about what he considered excessive bureaucracy in obtaining warrants for telephone tapping:
- You have to go through a deputy assistant director of the branch, then an assistant director, a director, over to H Branch [Corporate Affairs], back to the desk officer, back to H Branch and then the Deputy Director General would see it. Finally [after his or her approval] you could probably go ahead.[2]
Structure
The following list is taken from the 2003 edition of Hollingsworth and Fielding's Defending the Realm: Inside MI5 and the War on Terrorism and may now be somewhat dated.[2]
- H1 and H2: Liason with Whitehall, the police and the media, covert financial enquiries, management policy including information technology.
- H4: Finance.
- R2: Main Registry
- R5: Restricted 'Y-boxed' files.
- R10: Registry for temporary files.
- R20: Administers GCHQ material.
People
Directors
- Stephen Lander 1994-circa 1996
Others
- Jonathan Evans Former H1B/1
