Overseas Information Department - Revision history

David: /* Notes */

2026-01-27T17:16:49Z

Notes

David: /* Head */

2026-01-27T17:16:07Z

Head

David: /* People */

2026-01-27T17:14:37Z

People

David: /* People */

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People

David: /* People */

2026-01-27T17:08:25Z

People

David: /* Notes */

2017-11-19T17:24:02Z

Notes

Tom Griffin: /* Notes */

2015-03-18T12:54:09Z

Notes

James Gallagher at 16:12, 10 March 2015

2015-03-10T16:12:45Z

David at 16:13, 22 October 2009

2009-10-22T16:13:18Z

David: /* Soviet denunciations */

2008-05-27T15:10:41Z

Soviet denunciations

@@ Line 57: / Line 57: @@
 | [[Anthony D. Layden]] || 1990–1992 || Head of Department || Held honor C.M.G.<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Information_Department Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
 |}
 ==Notes==

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 *[[Ray Whitney]] 1976-8
 *[[James N. Allan]], C.M.G., C.B.E.: 1978-80
 {| class="wikitable sortable"
 |-
-! Name
+! colspan="4" | Overseas Information Department (successor to IRD ~1978; reorganized into Information Department early 1980s)<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Overseas_Information_Department Overseas Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
-! Dates of service
+|-
-! Other roles! Notes
+! Name !! Dates of service !! Other roles !! Notes
-[[Ray Whitney]]
+|-
-–1978
+| [[Ray Whitney]] || 1976–1978 || Head of Department || Previously the last head of the [[Information Research Department]]; later became a Conservative MP and minister. Involved in anti-communist propaganda efforts.<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Overseas_Information_Department Overseas Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
-Head of Department
+|-
-Previously the last head of the [[Information Research Department]]; later became a Conservative MP and minister. Involved in anti-communist propaganda efforts.<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Overseas_Information_Department Overseas Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
+| [[James N. Allan]] || 1978–1980 || Head of Department || Held honors C.M.G., C.B.E.<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Overseas_Information_Department Overseas Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
+|-
-[[James N. Allan]]
+| [[Aubrey Essex]] || c. 1950s–1970s (IRD and OID) || Staff member || 20 years' experience in [[Information Research Department|IRD]] and later OID; emphasized accuracy in propaganda material.<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Overseas_Information_Department Overseas Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
-–1980
+|-
-Head of Department
+! colspan="4" | Information Department of the Foreign Office (created 1980; dissolved ~1999/2000 into Public Diplomacy Department)<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Information_Department Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
-Held honors C.M.G., C.B.E.<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Overseas_Information_Department Overseas Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
+|-
+! Name !! Dates of service !! Other roles !! Notes
-[[Aubrey Essex]]
+|-
-c. 1950s–1970s (IRD and OID)
+| [[Keith G. MacInnes]] || 1980–1983 || Head of Department || Held honor C.M.G.<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Information_Department Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
-Staff member
+|-
-years' experience in [[Information Research Department
+| [[Terence J. Clark]] || 1983–1985 || Head of Department || Sir; held honors K.B.E., C.M.G., C.V.O.<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Information_Department Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
+|-
-! colspan="4"
+| [[Peter R.M. Hinchcliffe]] || 1985–1987 || Head of Department || Held honors C.M.G., C.V.O.<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Information_Department Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
+|-
-! Name
+| [[Richard J.S. Muir]] || 1987–1990 || Head of Department || Held honor C.M.G.<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Information_Department Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
-! Dates of service
+|-
-! Other roles
+| [[Anthony D. Layden]] || 1990–1992 || Head of Department || Held honor C.M.G.<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Information_Department Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
-! Notes
+|}
-−
 ==Notes==

@@ Line 86: / Line 86: @@
 Held honor C.M.G.<ref>[https://powerbase.info/index.php/Information_Department Information Department - Powerbase]</ref>
+}
 ==Notes==

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 *[[Ray Whitney]] 1976-8
 *[[James N. Allan]], C.M.G., C.B.E.: 1978-80
 {| class="wikitable sortable"
 |-
 ! Name
@@ Line 50: / Line 53: @@
 Staff member
 years' experience in [[Information Research Department
+}

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 *[[Ray Whitney]] 1976-8
 *[[James N. Allan]], C.M.G., C.B.E.: 1978-80
+{| class="wikitable sortable"
 ==Notes==

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:24, 19 November 2017
Line 26:		Line 26:

	:Here one could have stopped. But one thing has to be cleared up. The British journalist Charles Pincher [as broadcast], who admits having for 35 years engaged in ferreting out Whitehall secrets, writes that the activities of the Information Research Department of the British Foreign Office had been largely financed by the American Central Intelligence Agency. If one takes into account that the present Foreign Information Department differs from the Information Research Department only in name then the legitimate question arises: have not the close financial, and not only financial, links with the CIA remained which foots the bill for Whitehall's black propaganda campaign?<ref>BBC Summary of World Broadcasts February 23, 1981, Monday ''Black Propaganda'' by the Overseas Information Department SOURCE: Moscow in English for Gt Britain and Ireland 2000 gmt 20 Feb 81 Text of unattributed commentary, with introduction SECTION: Part 1 The USSR; A. INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS; 1. GENERAL AND WESTERN AFFAIRS; SU/6656/A1/2; </ref>		:Here one could have stopped. But one thing has to be cleared up. The British journalist Charles Pincher [as broadcast], who admits having for 35 years engaged in ferreting out Whitehall secrets, writes that the activities of the Information Research Department of the British Foreign Office had been largely financed by the American Central Intelligence Agency. If one takes into account that the present Foreign Information Department differs from the Information Research Department only in name then the legitimate question arises: have not the close financial, and not only financial, links with the CIA remained which foots the bill for Whitehall's black propaganda campaign?<ref>BBC Summary of World Broadcasts February 23, 1981, Monday ''Black Propaganda'' by the Overseas Information Department SOURCE: Moscow in English for Gt Britain and Ireland 2000 gmt 20 Feb 81 Text of unattributed commentary, with introduction SECTION: Part 1 The USSR; A. INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS; 1. GENERAL AND WESTERN AFFAIRS; SU/6656/A1/2; </ref>
		+
		+	==People==
		+	===Head===
		+	*[[Ray Whitney]] 1976-8
		+	*[[James N. Allan]], C.M.G., C.B.E.: 1978-80
		+

	==Notes==		==Notes==

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 <references/>
 [[Category:British Propaganda]]
-[[Categories:Propaganda]]
+[[Category:Propaganda]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 The successor department of the [[Foreign & Commonwealth Office]] to the [[Information Research Department]] (which was shut down in 1978 by the then Foreign secretary [[David Owen]]).  It was subsequently turned into the [[Information Department]] in the 1980s.
@@ Line 29: / Line 31: @@
 <references/>
 [[Category:British Propaganda]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The successor department of the [[Foreign & Commonwealth Office]] to the [[Information Research Department]] (which was shut down in 1978.  It was subsequently turned into the [[Information Department]] in the 1980s.
+The successor department of the [[Foreign & Commonwealth Office]] to the [[Information Research Department]] (which was shut down in 1978 by the then Foreign secretary [[David Owen]]).  It was subsequently turned into the [[Information Department]] in the 1980s.
 ==A propagandist recalls==
 :In my 20 years' experience in the [[Information Research Department]] (later the Overseas Information Department) of the Foreign Office, I don't believe I ever saw a spy pass a glass door (report, "Fay Weldon reveals role in Cold War against Poland", November 30). Certainly no one ever told me not to look. Nor would I have expected anyone in his right mind to announce the imminent passage of spies: the temptation to peek would have been overwhelming. It would all be a bit of a hoot, but for the caption to the picture - "Weldon: went from writing fiction to writing fiction". IRD, with many talented academics, specialists, researchers and journalists, could not have existed if the accuracy of its material had been in doubt. -  Yours etc, [[Aubrey Essex]], 25 South Parade, Cleveleys, Lancashire FY5 3NP. aubex@aol.com <ref>The Times (London) December 7, 1998, Monday Spies' tales SECTION: Features</ref>

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 ==Soviet denunciations==
 :But the point is, this Information Research Department did not die a natural death in the spring of 1977. It only changed its signboard and became the Foreign Information Department whose first director was Ray Whitney, the last head of the Information Research Department.
@@ Line 14: / Line 22: @@
 :Here one could have stopped. But one thing has to be cleared up. The British journalist Charles Pincher [as broadcast], who admits having for 35 years engaged in ferreting out Whitehall secrets, writes that the activities of the Information Research Department of the British Foreign Office had been largely financed by the American Central Intelligence Agency. If one takes into account that the present Foreign Information Department differs from the Information Research Department only in name then the legitimate question arises: have not the close financial, and not only financial, links with the CIA remained which foots the bill for Whitehall's black propaganda campaign?<ref>BBC Summary of World Broadcasts February 23, 1981, Monday ''Black Propaganda'' by the Overseas Information Department SOURCE: Moscow in English for Gt Britain and Ireland 2000 gmt 20 Feb 81 Text of unattributed commentary, with introduction SECTION: Part 1 The USSR; A. INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS; 1. GENERAL AND WESTERN AFFAIRS; SU/6656/A1/2; </ref>
 ==Notes==
 <references/>
 [[Category:British Propaganda]]