§ Q7. Mr. David Howellasked the Prime Minister whether he will now publish a revised version of the White Paper of June, 1969, Information and the Public Interest.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir, but since June, 1969, the Government has continued the policy outlined in the White Paper of widening the range of available information, for example by the issue of the Public Expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 4234, and by the publication of four more Green Papers.
§ Mr. HowellThe Prime Minister will recall that the White Paper recommended no change in the Official Secrets Act arising from the Fulton Committee's Report. Is that still his view? Is there not a growing danger that the label of secrecy, if used indiscriminately, could lead to official and public information being withheld from the public and the Opposition?
§ The Prime MinisterI am aware of concern about this matter. There are certain things one would not want to comment upon when the matter is sub judice in particular cases. I know of no case, despite allegations to the contrary—I should be glad if the hon. Gentleman could bring one forward—where the Official Secrets Act has been used or invoked to prevent public discussion or knowledge of information that should be available. In fact it has only been used and invoked, so far as I am aware, in matters affecting national security, foreign policy, defence and questions of that kind. If I am wrong, I should be glad to look at any case the hon. Gentleman may like to bring up. These matters can be considered. There is a case for considering the operation of the Official Secrets Act, but I reject any suggestion that this Government, or indeed 241 previous Governments so far as I know, have ever used the Official Secrets Act to stifle discussion by denying information to the Opposition or to anybody else. On defence we have made big offers to the Opposition that they can have information, information which was always refused to us.
§ Mr. McNamaraDoes my right hon. Friend agree that this matter affects not only information from the Government but information from the Opposition, and that we should like to know what has been going on in Salisbury in regard to the rebel Ian Smith regime?
§ The Prime MinisterMy hon. Friend has been wasting his time. This matter has been raised four times in the House of Commons and at the weekend. All we get are some fourth-form thoughts on a Sunday morning, expressed in third-form language—in saying that I hope that I am not making any enemies by insulting these distinguished third and fourth-formers—but there has been no answer whatever as to whether there have been secret contacts with an illegal and treasonable regime.