HC Deb 07 June 1993 vol 226 cc125-6W
Mr. Charles Kennedy

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the legal basis of the arrest by his Department's police, of Mr. John Anderson, in Scotland, on 24 April 1990; where and by whom the arrest warrant was issued; if he will place in the Library the findings of the board of inquiry into the subsequent road accident on the A249 near Dealing, during the afternoon of 24 April involving Mr. Anderson; what legal action resulted from the road accident; who covered the costs of the repairs to the respective vehicles involved in the road accident; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Hanley

Mr. John Anderson was arrested by Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) on 24 April 1990 in connection with the giving of a corrupt gift contrary to section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906. He was interviewed and subsequently released without charge. The warrant for his arrest was issued by a justice of the peace at Ramsgate magistrates court, Kent. Whilst under arrest the MDP vehicle in which Mr. Anderson was travelling was hit by a private car. There was no board of inquiry into this matter, but a road accident report was undertaken by Kent police who decided that legal action was not appropriate. The MDP vehicle was written off and my Department received £2,000 from the third party insurance of the other vehicle involved which was at fault.