SECRET
meilly K6h
6
FROM:
opas
MR R B R HERVEY
shery
DATE:
3 February 1987
و بوو ،
aflaste sirinsion sth Piotred Dept.
CC:
2 6 MAR 1987
PS/PUS Mr Young, MED Mr Battiscombe, PUSD Mr Anson, SCD
ku
gadier David Goodall
42
ROYAL VISITS ABROAD AND THE JIC
Flag A
1. I have discussed your minute of 23 January with Mr Young, who is happy for me to reply given Protocol Department's responsibility for Royal visitors overseas. We had a word on the telephone about it on 30 January.
2. We were in the process of instituting improvements in the preliminary stages of planning for Royal visits abroad. These, supplemented by better distribution of papers, should enable the Assessments Staff to prepare in good time any security assessment that may be necessary. (You mention the conclusions of the Royal Visits Committee and the related schedule. These are now to be circulated to the Assessments Staff through the Secretary of the JIC
a
3. May I add a word here about Princess Anne's visit to the Gulf? Although in accordance with current procedures (Circular Home B 24/83) it is for the head of the grographical department concerned to make recommendations about the need for a JIC assessment, it has been the practice for the Security Co ordinator in Protocol Department to alert the Assessment Staff through Security Co-ordination Department after discussion with the geographical department. This has usually been done once detailed programme for the visit in question has been drawn up. In many instances the latter has not been available until after the traditional reconnaissance visit has been paid by the Royal Household concerned. In the case of Princess Anne's visit to the Gulf, the reconnaissance party did not return until 15 January and the detailed content of the programme was not firmed up until then. I am sorry about the delay. All concerned accept that notwithstanding the fact that full details were not available,
assessment should have been commissioned at an earlier stage.
an
4. We have discussed in detail- including the problem created by the late finalization of the details of Princess Anne's visit to the Gulf with Mr Wright of the Assessment Staff and the Secretary of the JIC. The following procedure is recommended for the future:
(a) the Secretary of the JIC will in future receive a copy
of the minutes of the RVC and of its attached schedule (as you know, the RVC meets every six months).
/ (b)
SECRET
