Historical Dictionary of British Intelligence

SCOTT-FORD, DUNCAN• 473

with Party activity or they were unable to understand the policies of the

working class and it was difficult for them to settle down in small provin-

cial towns. On the whole we have come to the conclusion that the most

able people remain loyal to us, a great number of whom become the most

capable and responsible among Party members.... Bearing this in mind,

if we set about it the right way, we could, within a given period, achieve

considerable results. Since we can find people wherever we look for them,

it is necessary to have in the University a man who is able, trustworthy and

responsible only to us.

In July 1937scottsubmitted another report, ‘‘On the Students in the

Party,’’ in which he concluded that there were a total of 900 students

in theCommunist Party of Great Britain: 150 in Oxford, 200 in

Cambridge, 300 in London University, and the remainder in provin-

cial universities.

Cambridge is evidently the most important university. It has a more solid

Party organization than Oxford and it is also a larger university. Moreover

Cambridge education bears a more special character and the general intel-

lectual level of students is higher than in Oxford. When looking for really

good positions, considerably more people go to Cambridge than to Oxford.

... A great number of persons who occupy senior positions in government
departments come from Oxford and Cambridge. London University is also
of great importance, especially as regards to scientists. As I was told,
nearly half of the scientists studying at present will enter government ser-
vice.... If we work cautiously in the universities the risk is not very great.
We can be practically sure of always being able to select reliable people.

SCOTT, EDWARD.Formerly the charge ́d’affaires at the British em-
bassy in Prague, Edward Scott resigned from the diplomatic service
in March 1961, having been compromised with a girl. During World
War II, Scott had served as military attache ́in Kabul, and in May
1951 he shared an office withGuy Burgess. In 1969Josef Frolik
revealed that Scott, under the code namelora, had been coerced into
supplying classified information to theCzech Intelligence Service.
Although Scott acknowledged this was true, he was never prosecuted,
merely allowed early retirement.

SCOTT-FORD, DUNCAN.In August 1942 Duncan Scott-Ford, who
had been dismissed from the Royal Navy in Alexandria before the
war for dishonesty, was questioned at Salford Docks about a mer-