§ Mr. SummersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost to public funds of the security provided to Mr. Salman Rushdie; and when such security started.
§ Mr. Douglas HurdOn 14 February 1989 the Metropolitan police decided to provide Mr. Rushdie with 195W protection. This followed the threat to his life made by the Ayatollah Khomeini. It would not be sensible to disclose information about police protection which would indicate its scale in a particular case.