§ Q5. Mr. Arthur Davidsonasked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the workings of the Official Secrets Act; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government are looking into this, but I have no statement to make at present.
§ Mr. DavidsonIs the Prime Minister aware that his reply is about as satisfactory as the Answers I used to get, when I asked the same Question, from my right hon. Friend the present Leader of the Opposition? Will the right hon. Gentleman, however, undertake to have a searching look at the weaknesses of the Official Secrets Act, in order to make sure that its provisions operate only in those fields where national security is affected, and not in fields where it is a matter of sensitivity of Ministers and nothing else?
§ The Prime MinisterThe points which the hon. Gentleman made are certainly those which must be taken into account in this review. The hon. Gentleman has a great knowledge of the problems involved here, and I think that he has some knowledge also of the difficulty of redrafting the requirements to meet the specification which he himself has just laid down.