Editing Joint Intelligence Committee (United Kingdom)

{{Short description|British interagency intelligence organisation}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name = United Kingdom<br />Joint Intelligence Committee
| type = Committee
| seal = Coat of arms of the United Kingdom (2022, lesser arms).svg
| seal_width = 140px
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| formed = 1936
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| chief1_name = [[Madeleine Alessandri]]
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| parent_department = [[Cabinet Office]]
| website = [https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-security/groups/joint-intelligence-committee Joint Intelligence Committee website]
}}

The '''Joint Intelligence Committee''' ('''JIC''') is an interagency deliberative body of the [[United Kingdom]] responsible for [[intelligence assessment]], coordination, and oversight of the [[Secret Intelligence Service]], [[MI5|Security Service]], [[Government Communications Headquarters|GCHQ]], and [[Defence Intelligence]]. The JIC is supported by the [[Joint Intelligence Organisation (United Kingdom)|Joint Intelligence Organisation]] under the [[Cabinet Office]].<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-security/groups/joint-intelligence-committee
|title=Joint Intelligence Committee
|date=15 July 2016
|publisher=Joint Intelligence Committee}}</ref>

==History==
The JIC was founded on 7 July 1936<ref>{{Cite book|title=Spying on the World|year=2014|isbn=9780748678570|page=10|last1=Aldrich|first1=Richard James|last2=Cormac|first2=Rory|last3=Goodman|first3=Michael S.}}</ref> as a sub-committee of the [[Committee of Imperial Defence]], the advisory peacetime defence planning agency. During World War II, it became the senior intelligence assessment body in the UK. In 1957 the JIC moved to the [[Cabinet Office]], where its assessments staff prepare draft intelligence assessments for the committee to consider.

===Role in the Iraq dossier===
{{Main|Iraq Dossier}}
The JIC played a controversial role in compiling a dossier in which the UK government highlighted the threat posed by [[Iraq]]'s [[Weapon of mass destruction|weapons of mass destruction]] in the run up to the [[Iraq War]]. There were allegations that the dossier was "sexed up" prior to publication in order to bolster the case for military action.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/chilcot-report-iraq-war-alastair-campbell-cleared-sexed-up-dossier-tony-blair-spin-doctor-a7122571.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/chilcot-report-iraq-war-alastair-campbell-cleared-sexed-up-dossier-tony-blair-spin-doctor-a7122571.html |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Alastair Campbell cleared of 'sexing up' intelligence dossier ahead of Iraq War|date= 6 July 2016|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref> Evidence that the wording of the dossier was "strengthened" was presented to the [[Hutton Inquiry]], a judicial review set up to investigate the circumstances leading up to the death of an eminent government weapons expert, [[David Kelly (weapons expert)|David Kelly]], who had criticised the wording of the dossier in off-the-record briefings to journalists. Doctor Kelly committed suicide shortly after his identity was confirmed to the media by the government. JIC members Sir [[John Scarlett]] and Sir [[Richard Dearlove]] (both then head of MI6, the Secret Intelligence Service) gave evidence to the Inquiry in which they argued that the words used in the dossier were consistent with their assessment of the intelligence available at the time.

Despite the work of the 1400 strong [[Iraq Survey Group]] in post-war Iraq, no evidence of actual WMD capability has so far been uncovered; according to its final report in September 2004. The US and UK Governments both announced investigations into the assessment of WMD intelligence in the run up to war. The British [[Butler Inquiry|inquiry]], headed by [[Robin Butler, Baron Butler of Brockwell|Lord Butler of Brockwell]], in its report in July 2004, while critical of the British intelligence community, did not recommend that anyone should resign. Similarly, the [[United States Senate|US Senate]] Intelligence Committee, while critical of US intelligence officials, did not recommend any resignations in its report, also issued in July 2004.

==Structure==
The committee is chaired by a permanent chairman, a member of the Senior Civil Service, and is supported by the [[Joint Intelligence Organisation (United Kingdom)|Joint Intelligence Organisation]] which includes an assessments staff. The assessment staff is made up of experienced senior analysts drawn from across government and the military and conducts all-source analysis on subjects of interest to the committee. JIC papers draw input from across the intelligence and security agencies and other related bodies.<ref name="official-documents2006">{{cite web |url=http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/caboff/nim/0114301808.pdf
|title=National Intelligence Machinery
|date=November 2006
|publisher=[[The Stationery Office]]}}</ref>

Membership comprises senior officials in the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]], [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] and [[United Kingdom Armed Forces]], [[Home Office]], [[Department for International Development]], [[HM Treasury]] and the [[Cabinet Office]].<ref name="official-documents2006"/><ref name="nationalarchives1">{{cite web|url=http://www.intelligence.gov.uk/central_intelligence_machinery/joint_intelligence_committee.html |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20070701230000/http://www.intelligence.gov.uk/central_intelligence_machinery/joint_intelligence_committee.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-07-01 |title=The Joint Intelligence Committee |publisher=Webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk |date=2007-07-07 |access-date=2018-03-01}}</ref>

The JIC is subject to oversight by the [[Intelligence and Security Committee]].<ref>[http://isc.independent.gov.uk/About the Committee]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Intelligence and Security Committee</ref> It is supported by the [[Joint Intelligence Organisation (United Kingdom)|Joint Intelligence Organisation]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-security/groups/joint-intelligence-organisation
|title=Joint Intelligence Organisation
|date=July 2016
|publisher=[[Joint Intelligence Organisation (United Kingdom)|Joint Intelligence Organisation]]}}</ref>

==Role and functions==
The JIC is responsible for:<ref name="autogenerated1"/>
* assessing events and situations relating to external affairs, defence, terrorism, major international criminal activity, scientific, technical and international economic matters and other transnational issues, drawing on secret intelligence, diplomatic reporting and open source material
* to monitor and give early warning of the development of direct and indirect threats and opportunities in those fields to British interests or policies and to the international community as a whole
* to keep under review threats to security at home and overseas and to deal with such security problems as may be referred to it
* to contribute to the formulation of statements of the requirements and priorities for intelligence gathering and other tasks to be conducted by the intelligence agencies
* to maintain oversight of the intelligence community's analytical capability through the Professional Head of Intelligence Analysis
* to maintain liaison with Commonwealth and foreign intelligence organisations as appropriate, and to consider the extent to which its product can be made available to them

The JIC has three functions:
* Advising the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] and Cabinet Ministers on intelligence collection and analysis priorities in support of national objectives.
* Periodically scrutinises the performance of the Agencies in meeting the collection requirements placed upon them.<ref name="nationalarchives1"/> 
* Assuring the professional standards of civilian intelligence analysis staff across the range of intelligence related activities in [[His Majesty's Government]].

===Intelligence requirements===
The JIC drafts the annual Requirements and Priorities for collection and analysis, for approval by Ministers.  These support the strategic national security objectives of the UK:

* Protect UK and British territories, and British nationals and property, from a range of threats, including from terrorism and espionage;
* Protect and promote Britain's defence and foreign policy interests;
* Protect and promote the UK's economic well-being; and
* Support the prevention and detection of serious crime.

===Foreign liaison===
Ever since World War II, the chief of the London station of the [[United States]] [[Central Intelligence Agency]] has attended the JIC's weekly meetings. One former US intelligence officer has described this as the "highlight of the job" for the London CIA chief.<ref>{{cite magazine
 |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/node/146347 
 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130706233849/http://www.newstatesman.com/node/146347 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-date=2013-07-06 
 |title=Why no questions about the CIA? 
 |magazine=[[New Statesman]] 
 |date=September 2003 
}}</ref> Resident intelligence chiefs from [[Australia]], [[Canada]], and [[New Zealand]] may attend when certain issues are discussed.{{citation needed|date=July 2016}}

==Chairs of the Joint Intelligence Committee==
Since founding, the committee's Chair has been as follows:
* [[Ralph Stevenson|Sir Ralph Stevenson]], 1936–39
* [[Victor Cavendish-Bentinck, 9th Duke of Portland|Victor Cavendish-Bentinck]], 1939–45 (subsequently The 9th Duke of Portland)
* [[Harold Caccia, Baron Caccia|Sir Harold Caccia]], 1945–48 (subsequently The Lord Caccia)
* [[William Goodenough Hayter|Sir William Hayter]], 1948–49
* [[Patrick Reilly|Sir Patrick Reilly]], 1950–53
* [[Patrick Dean (diplomat)|Sir Patrick Dean]], 1953–60
* [[Hugh Southern Stephenson|Sir Hugh Stephenson]], 1960–63
* [[Bernard Alexander Brocas Burrows|Sir Bernard Burrows]], 1963–66
* [[Denis Greenhill, Baron Greenhill of Harrow|Sir Denis Greenhill]], 1966–68 (subsequently The Lord Greenhill)
* [[Edward Peck (British diplomat)|Sir Edward Peck]], 1968–70
* [[Stewart Crawford|Sir Stewart Crawford]], 1970–73
* [[Geoffrey Arthur|Sir Geoffrey Arthur]], 1973–75
* [[Antony Duff|Sir Antony Duff]], 1975–79
* [[Antony Acland|Sir Antony Acland]], 1979–82
* [[Patrick Wright, Baron Wright of Richmond|Sir Patrick Wright]], 1982–84 (subsequently The Lord Wright)
* [[Percy Craddock|Sir Percy Craddock]], 1985–92
* [[Rodric Braithwaite|Sir Rodric Braithwaite]], 1992–93
* [[Pauline Neville-Jones, Baroness Neville-Jones|Dame Pauline Neville-Jones]], 1993–94 (subsequently Baroness Neville-Jones)
* [[Paul Lever|Sir Paul Lever]], 1994–96
* [[Colin Budd|Sir Colin Budd]], 1996–97
* [[Michael Pakenham|Sir Michael Pakenham]], 1997–2000
* [[Peter Ricketts|Sir Peter Ricketts]], 2000 – September 2001
* [[John Scarlett|Sir John Scarlett]], 2001–2004
* [[William Ehrman|Sir William Ehrman]], 2004–2005
* [[Richard Mottram|Sir Richard Mottram]], 2005–2007 (''as Permanent Secretary, Intelligence, Security and Resilience'')
* [[Alex Allan|Sir Alex Allan]], 2007–2011
* [[Jon Day|Sir Jon Day]], 2012–2015
* [[Charles Farr (civil servant)|Sir Charles Farr]], 2015–2019
* [[Simon Gass|Sir Simon Gass]], 2019–2023
* [[Madeleine Alessandri]], 2023–present<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-intelligence-committee-chair-appointed-madeleine-alessandri-cmg |title=Joint Intelligence Committee Chair appointed: Madeleine Alessandri CMG |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=4 May 2023 |website=gov.uk |publisher=UK Cabinet Office |access-date=5 May 2023 |quote=The Cabinet Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister, has announced the appointment of Madeleine Alessandri CMG as the new Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) and head of the Joint Intelligence Organisation (JIO). Madeleine will replace Simon Gass who is stepping down after four years in the role.}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[British intelligence agencies]]
*[[Joint Intelligence Organisation (United Kingdom)|Joint Intelligence Organisation]]
*[[Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament]]
* [[United States Intelligence Community]]
** [[National Intelligence Council]]
** [[United States Joint Intelligence Community Council|Joint Intelligence Community Council]]
** [[Director of National Intelligence|United States Director of National Intelligence]]
* [[Australian Intelligence Community]]
** [[Office of National Intelligence (Australia)|Office of National Intelligence]]
** [[Office of National Assessments]]
*[[National Centre for Counter Terrorism]], France

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==

* {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3MZpQgAACAAJ|title=Know Your Enemy: How the Joint Intelligence Committee Saw the World|last=Cradock|first=Percy|date=2002|publisher=John Murray|isbn=9780719560484|language=en}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Goodman|first=Michael S.|date=2008-01-02|title=Learning to Walk: The Origins of the UK's Joint Intelligence Committee|journal=International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence|volume=21|issue=1|pages=40–56|doi=10.1080/08850600701649163|s2cid=154703818|issn=0885-0607}}

==External links==
*[https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-security/groups/joint-intelligence-committee Joint Intelligence Committee]

{{UK Intelligence Agencies}} 
{{Downing Street}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:British intelligence agencies]]
[[Category:1936 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Committees of the United Kingdom Cabinet Office]]
[[Category:Joint committees]]
[[Category:National security of the United Kingdom]]