§ Mr. WarrenTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any disciplinary action has been taken within his Department against officials involved in handling any aspect of the Barlow Clowes case.
§ Mr. RidleyThe question of any disciplinary action against individual civil servants is one for my Permanent Secretary. The House was informed last year that the then Permanent Secretary had considered whether the facts set out in Sir Godfray Le Quesne's report would give rise to a case for disciplinary action, and had decided that they did not. The matter was reviewed in the light of the PCA's report and my Permanent Secretary decided that there was no case for disciplinary action, a decision with which I concur.
§ Mr. WarrenTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any of his Department's officials or former officials have been told that they may be asked to give evidence in any legal proceedings initiated by the Department against third parties in respect of Barlow Clowes.
§ Mr. RidleyNo, because it is not yet clear which officials or former officials, if any, will be required to give evidence in any actions which are brought.
§ Mr. WarrenTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any of the officials consulted by Sir Godfray Le Quesne, QC for his report into Barlow Clowes have been promoted or have retired prematurely since the time they were responsible for the Barlow Clowes case.
§ Mr. RidleyThree officials have been promoted and one has taken early retirement.