§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Prime Minister whether she will give, for the 451W longest and most convenient stated period of time, the number of occasions when she or officials from her Department have telephoned self-confessed criminals or their legal advisers to inform them of the intention of her Department to make a ministerial statement in answer to a tabled parliamentary question concerning such person's criminal activities, before such parliamentary statement has been made; and what, in each instance, was the reason for this action.
§ The Prime MinisterThe circumstances in which Professor Blunt's legal adviser was informed in advance of my statement of 15 November were set out in my answer of 20 November to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) and in my speech in the House on 21 November. That is the only occasion.
§ Mr. Mike Thomasasked the Prime Minister (1) if she will lay before the House such information as has been made available to her as to why the Prime Minister, Home Secretary and Attorney-General, on assuming office in October 1964, were not informed of the activities of Mr. Anthony Blunt; and what was the post of the official who was responsible for bringing this matter to their attention;
(2) if she will lay before the House such information as has been made available to her as to why the new Home Secretary in November 1967 was not informed on assuming office of the activities of Mr. Anthony Blunt; and what was the post of the official who was responsible for bringing this matter to his attention;
(3) if she will lay before the House such information as has been made available to her as to why the new Home Secretary in December 1965 was not informed on assuming office of the activities of Mr. Anthony Blunt; and what was the post of the official who was responsible for bringing this matter to his attention.
§ The Prime MinisterNo such information has been made available to me.