84:(GSCP) in 2013; it came into effect in 2014. It replaced the old Government Protective Marking Scheme (GPMS). Classifications must be capitalised and centrally noted at top and bottom of each document page, save at OFFICIAL where the document marking is optional. All material produced by a public body in the UK must be presumed to be OFFICIAL unless it is otherwise marked. Like the GPMS, which it superseded, the GSCP classifications are applied only to the confidentiality of the data under classification.
215:
member of, or associated with, any organisation which has advocated such activities or has demonstrated a lack of reliability through dishonesty, lack of integrity or behaviour. Finally, the process assures the department that the individual will not be subject to pressure or improper influence through past behaviour or personal circumstances.
214:
Vetting is intended to assure the department that the individual has not been involved in espionage, terrorism, sabotage or actions intended to overthrow or undermine
Parliamentary democracy by political, industrial or violent means. It also assures the department that the individual has not been a
137:
The older system used five levels of classification, supplemented with caveat keywords. The keyword was placed in all capital letters in the centre of the top and bottom of each page of a classified document and described the foreseeable consequence of an unauthorised release of the data (a âbreach
185:
Such information will cause distress to individuals; cause financial loss or improper gain; prejudice the investigation of, or facilitate the commission of, a crime; or disadvantage government in commercial or policy negotiations with others. PROTECT should always be used with a descript such as
125:
At the OFFICIAL classification there is a general presumption that data may be shared across
Government, however where a need to know principle is identified data may be marked as "OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE"; "OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE COMMERCIAL"; "OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE LOCSEN" or "OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE PERSONAL".
59:(SPF) superseded the Manual of Protective Security and contains the primary internal protective security policy and guidance on security and risk management for His Majesty's Government (HMG) Departments and associated bodies. It is the source on which all localised security policies are based.
121:
It is quite possible, and not uncommon, for data within an OFFICIAL classification to have serious impacts including serious injury in the event of unauthorised disclosure. This is one of the characteristics of the GSCP which differs significantly from the
Protective Marking Scheme which it
117:
It is often incorrectly assumed that the OFFICIAL classification replaces the GPMS markings of PROTECT, RESTRICTED and CONFIDENTIAL, however this is not the case, since the criteria on which GPMS markings were applied bear no relationship to the criteria used for GSCP classifications.
95:
is that whose release is liable to cause considerable loss of life, international diplomatic incidents, or severely impact ongoing intelligence operations. Disclosure of such information is assumed to be above the threshold for prosecution under the
218:
Protectively marked material must be accounted for in a manner appropriate to its classification level and disposal must be in accordance with the SPF. The act of destruction or disposal is included in the accounting process.
106:
This marking is used for information which needs protection against serious threats, and which could cause serious harm if compromisedâsuch as threats to life, compromising major crime investigations, or harming international
196:
Documents classified under the
Protective Marking Scheme still exist and need correct handling. After 100 years all the classifications will have run out but the procedures may still be of interest to historians.
563:
179:
is at a level where the release of the material will have effects such as significant distress to individuals, adversely affecting the effectiveness of military operations, or to compromise law enforcement.
66:(MPS) which specified the impact of release and protection level required for each classification. Departments issued localised versions of the content of the MPS as appropriate to their operational needs.
273:, a descriptor defining to which nationality groups it may be released. By default, material in the UK is not caveated by nationality, the classification being sufficient protection.
452:
129:
All OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE data must be marked and contain handling instructions identifying why the data is deemed sensitive, how it must be held, processed and transferred.
159:
This marking is used for information whose side-effects may be life-threatening, disruptive to public order or detrimental to diplomatic relations with friendly nations.
149:
is that whose release is liable to cause considerable loss of life, international diplomatic incidents, or severely impact ongoing intelligence operations. Prior to the
570:
43:, replaced the old Government Protective Marking Scheme in 2014. Since classifications can last for 100 years many documents are still covered by the old scheme.
676:
192:
The term "UNCLASSIFIED" or "NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED" may be used in UK Government documents to indicate positively that a protective marking is not needed.
169:
include considerable infringement on personal liberties, material damage to diplomatic relations, or to seriously disrupt day-to-day life in the country.
227:
Protectively marked material may also be marked with a descriptor, or privacy marking, which identifies sensitivities around distribution and handling.
113:
All routine public sector business, operations and services is treated as OFFICIAL. Many departments and agencies operate exclusively at this level.
691:
681:
603:
686:
28:
is a system used to protect information from intentional or inadvertent release to unauthorised readers. The system is organised by the
81:
75:
40:
620:
332:
using compartmentalisation by use of codewords. Examples of compartmented material would include information about nuclear warheads,
635:
625:
556:
645:
542:
206:
650:
615:
610:
593:
397:
655:
598:
496:
153:, the highest level was "Most Secret"; it was renamed so that both the UK and U.S. operated to a consistent system.
211:
Access to protectively marked material is defined according to a vetting level which the individual has achieved.
640:
436:
328:
Dissemination of already protectively marked material may be further limited only to those with a legitimate
454:
Government
Security Classifications FAQ Sheet 1: Working with OFFICIAL Information April 2013, Version 1.2
315:
and France). in particular the restricted format of âHeads of
Government Representativesâ initiated by Mr
630:
474:
97:
56:
530:
33:
382:
343:. In some cases, the existence of a compartment identified by a codeword is itself classified.
36:. The system is also used by private sector bodies that provide services to the public sector.
20:
517:
8:
316:
340:
402:
16:
Protect information from intentional or inadvertent release to unauthorised readers
548:
305:
422:
333:
52:
29:
24:
670:
301:
150:
438:
Government
Security Classifications April 2014, Version 1.0 - October 2013
392:
269:
387:
281:
509:
312:
276:
Examples of nationality caveats include, but are not limited to:
138:
of confidentialityâ). In descending order of secrecy, these are:
32:
and is implemented throughout central and local government and
311:
BURNING BUSH: Quadripartite discussions (between the US, UK,
69:
230:
Examples of descriptors include, but are not restricted to:
372:
DEDIP, DESDEN: may not be shown to certain named officials.
337:
186:âCommercialâ, âManagementâ, âPersonalâ, or a similar term.
423:"Security policy framework: Protecting government assets"
543:
Los Alamos table of equivalent US and UK classifications
346:
Examples of codewords include, but are not limited to:
132:
62:
The classification system was formerly included in the
445:
267:
Protectively marked material may bear a nationality
578:
358:sitivity, and may not be shown to local officials.
304:: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK and USA (the
258:Visits (domestic or foreign royalty and ministers)
429:
668:
165:The effects of releasing information marked as
564:
677:Classified information in the United Kingdom
571:
557:
82:Government Security Classifications Policy
76:Government Security Classifications Policy
70:Government Security Classifications Policy
41:Government Security Classifications Policy
469:
467:
692:National security of the United Kingdom
39:The current classification system, the
669:
207:Security vetting in the United Kingdom
682:United Kingdom government information
552:
495:Hansard, Written answers 15 Dec 1994
464:
262:
133:Government Protective Marking Scheme
687:Public policy in the United Kingdom
507:
441:. HMG Cabinet Office. October 2013.
13:
398:Official Secrets Acts 1911 to 1989
14:
703:
460:. HMG Cabinet Office. April 2013.
308:, also known as the "Five-Eyes").
477:. V8. Cabinet Office. April 2012
34:critical national infrastructure
475:"HMG Security Policy Framework"
579:Policies of the United Kingdom
501:
489:
415:
222:
80:The Cabinet Office issued the
1:
589:Classified information policy
512:– via www.academia.edu.
408:
64:Manual of Protective Security
323:
7:
376:
200:
10:
708:
204:
73:
584:
98:Official Secrets Act 1989
57:Security Policy Framework
46:
646:Security vetting policy
604:Cannabis classification
510:"Quadripartite Meeting"
525:Cite journal requires
383:Classified information
175:Information marked as
145:Information marked as
91:Information marked as
21:Classified information
51:Policy is set by the
594:Conscription policy
286:CANUKUS EYES ONLY:
636:Immigration policy
425:. 2 December 2022.
341:nuclear propulsion
263:Nationality caveat
664:
663:
508:Disdero, Michel.
699:
641:Rationing policy
573:
566:
559:
550:
549:
535:
534:
528:
523:
521:
513:
505:
499:
493:
487:
486:
484:
482:
471:
462:
461:
459:
449:
443:
442:
433:
427:
426:
419:
403:Thirty year rule
319:in January 1980.
151:Second World War
707:
706:
702:
701:
700:
698:
697:
696:
667:
666:
665:
660:
621:Firearms policy
580:
577:
539:
538:
526:
524:
515:
514:
506:
502:
494:
490:
480:
478:
473:
472:
465:
457:
451:
450:
446:
435:
434:
430:
421:
420:
416:
411:
379:
326:
306:UKUSA Community
265:
225:
209:
203:
135:
78:
72:
49:
17:
12:
11:
5:
705:
695:
694:
689:
684:
679:
662:
661:
659:
658:
653:
651:Welfare policy
648:
643:
638:
633:
628:
626:Foreign policy
623:
618:
613:
608:
607:
606:
596:
591:
585:
582:
581:
576:
575:
568:
561:
553:
547:
546:
537:
536:
527:|journal=
500:
497:Hansard online
488:
463:
444:
428:
413:
412:
410:
407:
406:
405:
400:
395:
390:
385:
378:
375:
374:
373:
370:
359:
325:
322:
321:
320:
309:
299:
284:
264:
261:
260:
259:
256:
253:
250:
247:
244:
241:
238:
235:
224:
221:
205:Main article:
202:
199:
194:
193:
190:
187:
183:
180:
173:
170:
163:
160:
157:
154:
143:
134:
131:
115:
114:
111:
108:
104:
101:
89:
74:Main article:
71:
68:
53:Cabinet Office
48:
45:
30:Cabinet Office
25:United Kingdom
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
704:
693:
690:
688:
685:
683:
680:
678:
675:
674:
672:
657:
654:
652:
649:
647:
644:
642:
639:
637:
634:
632:
629:
627:
624:
622:
619:
617:
616:Family policy
614:
612:
611:Energy policy
609:
605:
602:
601:
600:
597:
595:
592:
590:
587:
586:
583:
574:
569:
567:
562:
560:
555:
554:
551:
544:
541:
540:
532:
519:
511:
504:
498:
492:
476:
470:
468:
456:
455:
448:
440:
439:
432:
424:
418:
414:
404:
401:
399:
396:
394:
391:
389:
386:
384:
381:
380:
371:
368:
364:
360:
357:
353:
349:
348:
347:
344:
342:
339:
335:
331:
318:
314:
310:
307:
303:
300:
297:
293:
289:
285:
283:
279:
278:
277:
274:
272:
271:
257:
254:
251:
248:
245:
242:
239:
236:
233:
232:
231:
228:
220:
216:
212:
208:
198:
191:
188:
184:
181:
178:
174:
171:
168:
164:
161:
158:
155:
152:
148:
144:
141:
140:
139:
130:
127:
123:
119:
112:
109:
105:
102:
99:
94:
90:
87:
86:
85:
83:
77:
67:
65:
60:
58:
54:
44:
42:
37:
35:
31:
27:
26:
22:
588:
518:cite journal
503:
491:
479:. Retrieved
453:
447:
437:
431:
417:
366:
362:
361:NATSEN: has
355:
351:
350:LOCSEN: has
345:
330:need to know
329:
327:
302:AUSCANNZUKUS
295:
291:
287:
275:
268:
266:
229:
226:
217:
213:
210:
195:
189:UNCLASSIFIED
176:
167:CONFIDENTIAL
166:
162:CONFIDENTIAL
146:
136:
128:
124:
120:
116:
92:
79:
63:
61:
50:
38:
19:
18:
656:Visa policy
631:Euro policy
599:Drug policy
393:List X site
223:Descriptors
671:Categories
409:References
317:Brzezinski
243:Management
237:Commercial
177:RESTRICTED
172:RESTRICTED
147:TOP SECRET
142:TOP SECRET
107:relations.
93:TOP SECRET
88:TOP SECRET
481:April 29,
388:DA-Notice
369:sitivity.
324:Codewords
298:citizens.
282:EYES ONLY
122:replaced.
377:See also
249:Personal
201:Handling
110:OFFICIAL
545:(dated)
290:adian,
246:Medical
240:Honours
182:PROTECT
23:in the
365:ional
336:, and
334:fusion
270:caveat
252:Policy
234:Budget
156:SECRET
103:SECRET
55:. The
47:Policy
458:(PDF)
338:naval
255:Staff
531:help
483:2013
367:sen
363:nat
356:sen
354:al
352:loc
313:FRG
294:or
288:Can
280:UK
673::
522::
520:}}
516:{{
466:^
296:US
292:UK
572:e
565:t
558:v
533:)
529:(
485:.
100:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.