§ Mr. Tim SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services on how many occasions his Department has sought the opinion of independent counsel since 1979; and it' he will list the subjects concerned.
§ Mr. MooreThe Department regularly seeks the opinion of independent counsel over a wide range of civil litigation, criminal prosecutions, social security topics, health matters and employment law cases. The precise information requested is, however, not readily available and could be identified only at disproportionate cost. It would not be proper to reveal the precise nature of the problem on which the advice of counsel was sought in any particular instance.