§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the correspondence of 10 and 13 February between himself and the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden, on the police operations at BBC Glasgow.
§ Mr. RifkindThe terms of my reply of 12 (not 13) February to the hon. Member's letter of 10 February are as follows:
Scottish Office Whitehall London SW1 Donald Dewar Esq MP House of Commons London SW1A OAA 12 February 1987 Dear Donald
Thank you for your further letter of 10 February about whether there was Ministerial involvement in the police operation at the BBC's Glasgow offices.
I had no prior knowledge of the intention of the police to apply for a search warrant. After the warrant had been granted by the Court, on my arrival at the BBC's Glasgow offices on the evening of Friday 30 January—to take part with you and others in the recording of BBC Scotland's "Question Time" programme to be transmitted later that evening — I was informd for the first time by two Strathclyde Police officers, who had been assigned as a matter of routine to accompany me during my visit to Glasgow, that there was likely to be a police operation at the BBC premises the following day. I was given no details of the nature of that operation.
During the remainder of the weekend I received no further information nor did I or my Department communicate with the Police, the Lord Advocate, the Crown Office or any other Minister or Department on any matter relating to the investigation.
795WOn the Monday morning I learned, for the first time, that Strathclyde Police, who were aware that you and I were to be at the BBC on Friday evening, were in touch earlier that day with one of my officials to say that a search warrant was being applied for and that if it were granted a police operation would follow. The police did not discuss the terms of any warrant with my officials.
My officials were in contact with the Prime Minister's Office on the morning of Monday 2 February but only to discuss which Minister might most appropriately answer the Private Notice Question were it to be allowed. On that morning also my officials were in contact with the Lord Advocate's officials about the PNQ.
As regards the point you raise in the final paragraph of your letter, I understand from Strathclyde Police that there is absolutely no truth in the report that appeared in the Glasgow Herald on 6 February.
Yours ever
Malcolm Rifkind
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from the National Union of Journalists over the police raid on BBC, Glasgow; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RifkindI have received a letter dated 17 February from one branch of the union.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information was made available to him as to why the police operation against BBC Scotland was postponed from Friday 30 January to Saturday 31 January.
§ Mr. RifkindI refer the hon. Member to my reply of 16 February. I did not ask and was not told the reason for the timing of the police operation.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Scotland for what purpose Strathclyde police notified his office on Friday 30 January about the proposed police operation at BBC Scotland.
Chiropodists: whole.lime equivalent by health board and Scotland at 30 September 1979 to 1986 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986' Scotland 357.2 374.5 400.6 417.8 4350 439.8 450.0 472.4 Argyll and Clyde 26.5 31.6 32.6 32.7 33.7 34.6 36.4 36.6 Ayrshire and Arran 31.1 32.5 35.6 37.6 42.6 45.2 47.5 49.7 Borders — 1.0 6.3 6.3 7.3 9.3 8.3 8.3 Dumfries and Galloway 7.4 12.1 10.2 11.8 10.1 8.1 12.1 11.4 Fife 34.3 37.8 38.8 40.7 43.8 43.7 44.0 43.3 Forth Valley 22.3 19.3 21.3 21.7 22.7 21.8 23.3 25.9 Grampian 10.8 13.3 12.9 13.7 15.4 15.9 15.5 26.1 Greater Glasgow 69.6 67.8 68.9 71.1 74.0 77.2 84.1 86.9 Highland 5.7 6.7 10.2 11.2 12.2 13.2 13.2 15.2 Lanarkshire 40.4 38.9 45.4 46.7 46.9 44.9 45.9 46.9 Lothian 75.7 75.3 77.8 81.5 85.4 82.9 76.3 75.7 Orkney — — 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 10 1.0 Shetland 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3 0 4.0 Tayside 28.4 34.2 34.6 36.8 34.9 37.0 37.4 39.4 Western Isles 3.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1 Provisional.