§ 2.56 p.m.
§ Lord McIntosh of Haringey asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ Whether any employees of government agencies have been questioned under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 about the interception of telephone calls of members of the Royal Family; and, if so, under what circumstances.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)My Lords, no individual employees of government agencies have been questioned about the alleged interception of telephone calls of members of the Royal Family. Operational procedures ensure that there is no question of staff being able to make unofficial use of the facilities of the agencies for improper purposes of this kind.
Heads of all the agencies have given assurances that their agencies have had no part in the interception of telephone calls of members of the Royal Family.
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyMy Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for that Answer. He will be well aware that I had to ask that Question because he failed to answer it twice on a previous occasion. It is good to have the answer now. Can he say whether there have been any requests from the household of any member of the Royal Family for investigations of this kind?