HC Deb 16 November 1953 vol 520 cc1377-9
8. Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will place in the Library of the House a copy of the questionnaire which persons employed at atomic energy plants are required to complete; and from what date the present form of questionnaire has been in use.

9. Mr. W. Griffiths

asked the Minister of Supply what methods of inquiry and interrogation are employed by his Department's security officers.

Mr. Sandys

Investigations are made into the reliability of all staff employed on secret work. It would be against the public interest for me to go into more detail.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

While I do not deny the need for security methods to be employed, may I ask the Minister to say whether he will place a copy of the questionnaire in the Library? He has not answered the question. If he is willing to place a copy of the questionnaire in the Library, will he then agree to hear representations from hon. Members, after they have studied this document, against two, at least, of the questions, which are so vague in their wording as to be difficult, if not impossible, to answer?

Mr. Sandys

The answer to the first supplementary is in the negative; the second half, therefore, does not arise.

Mr. Griffiths

Is the right hon. Gentle-aware that a young man of the very highest character, employed at Risley, in Lancashire, was interrogated by one of the right hon. Gentleman's security officers and asked such questions as these: would he state his frank opinion of his Departmental chief; what politics were talked about in the office? Is he also aware that inquiries were made at the place of work of a number of this man's relatives, about his parents, his parents-in-law, his brothers and sisters, their wives and their husbands? [An HON. MEMBER: "Surely not."] Yes. Also, may the House be told what has happened in the Civil Service, since the right hon. Gentleman took office, to create the necessity for this new departure?

Mr. Sandys

There has been no departure; so far as the necessity is concerned, there has been no change. In fact, the answer which I gave the hon. Member was based on a similar answer given by the right hon. Gentleman, the Member for Vauxhall (Mr. G. R. Strauss), as Minister of Supply, to a Question put by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, in 1950.

Mr. Gower

Would it not be much more serious in these times if such inquiries were not made?

Mr. S. Silverman

Has the right hon. Gentleman considered the statement made by the Prime Minister a few days ago, to the effect that one principal guarantee of the peace of the world was the fact that atomic power is no longer monopolised by one group of nations? In view of that authoritative expression of opinion, will he not reconsider his whole policy?

Mr. Sandys

I am sure that the Prime Minister did not mean that, although there was no monopoly of atomic energy information, it was desirable that we should broadcast our defence secrets.

Mr. Griffiths

Is the right hon. Gentleman really telling the House that the procedure to which I have referred was in operation when my right hon. Friends were in the Government? Is it not a fact that this procedure has only been instituted since March, 1952?

Mr. Sandys

I was not referring to the particular case. Investigations of one kind or another have been going on for a very long time. As was announced at the time, there is no secret about these matters. The hon. Member has not unearthed something new. A Press statement was made at the time, and I think the matter has been referred to in this House. That procedure was introduced to safeguard the vital interests of the community. I am the last person to wish to interfere with the liberty of the individual, but the safety of the community at large does depend upon protecting our vital defence secrets.

10. Mr. W. Griffiths

asked the Minister of Supply from what sources the members of the security forces employed by his Department are recruited.

Mr. Sandys

They include established civil servants, former members of the police and the armed forces and officers of the War Department and Air Ministry constabularies.

Mr. Griffiths

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these security officers have only been appointed since he took office, and, therefore, the procedure of which I am complaining, arising from their appointment, has nothing to do with the necessary security procedure adopted by my right hon. Friends before 1950? Is he aware that he really cannot pin the responsibility for this monstrous procedure on the previous Government?

Mr. Sandys

I really do not know what the hon. Member is talking about. He asks a question about security forces. Primarily, they are police, working in uniform, inside and outside the fences of our various establishments. I have given the answer. This is really not a party issue. Who is responsible is not the question. The question is, who would be responsible if there was any negligence in safeguarding these secrets?

Mr. Griffiths

I beg to give notice that in view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.