APPENDIX 13
Supplementary memorandum submitted by
the Home Office (10 May 2002)
1. VELLUM ASSESSMENTS
The Security Service issues assessments, known
as VELLUM assessments to a wide range of contacts in the petro-chemical,
chemical and related industries, banks and financial institutions,
the telecommunications industry, and representative organisations
in retail and commerce (such as The British Retail Consortium)
on a quarterly basis with additional updates as required.
2. The assessments go to named contacts
and provide a short summary (classified at most RESTRICTED) of
current assessments of the terrorist threat together with a recommendation
on the appropriate ALERT STATE. At each ALERT STATE pre-agreed
protective security arrangements may be implemented by each recipient
company. All police forces receive an information copy and may
use it for briefing local business contacts. In addition, the
Police National Terrorist Crime Prevention Unit, which is located
in Thames House, uses VELLUM as a basis for briefing its own extensive
range of commercial contacts and for briefing the Counter Terrorist
Crime Prevention Officer in each of Great Britain's police forces.
3. The principal purpose of VELLUM is to
advise potential targets of the appropriate protective measures
that they should implement commensurate with the current threat
assessments. There is a comparable but rather more detailed system
applicable to Economic Key Points (EKPs).
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