§ Q2. Mr. Martenasked the Prime Minister what progress has been made in speeding up the vetting procedures for staff being engaged on sensitive Government work.
§ The Prime MinisterI am satisfied that all concerned are aware of the need to carry out vetting inquiries as quickly as possible where there is an urgent need to complete them.
§ Mr. MartenCan the Prime Minister say how much positive vetting is now done, certainly for the Cabinet Office? Secondly, in view of the known methods of work of foreign intelligence agencies, which often employ fairly humble people as their agents, would it not be wise if all people in No. 10 and the Cabinet Office, for example, were positively vetted?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Member has rightly drawn attention in what he has said to the kind of problems that we are up against and it is our policy progressively to do that. We have tightened up the procedures enormously in the last 1487 year or two and apart from bringing in known civil servants who have been engaged, for example, on sensitive work so that we know something about them, those who come in while positive vetting is being completed are now being put on less sensitive work until that can be done. I do not say that it is possible as yet to do that in every case in the Cabinet Office, but that is the practice in No. 10.