§ Mr. Powell (by Private Notice)asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any statement to make about the discovery yesterday of defence documents in a public place.
§ The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Denis Healey)About 50 badly charred documents, which appeared to be official, were discovered yesterday on Chislehurst Common and handed to the police.
The matter is being urgently investigated.
It has not yet been possible to identify any of the documents with certainty or to assess what risk, if any, to national security is involved.
§ Mr. PowellWill the right hon. Gentleman tell the House of the result of his investigations when he has made them?
§ Mr. HealeyYes, Sir. I certainly undertake to do that. It may perhaps set some minds at rest if I say that we have no evidence at present that any of these documents dates from a time later than 1958.