Mr. Robert AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 May,Official Report, columns 369–70, (1) what confirmatory evidence was sought by the Charity Commissioner's investigators that documents relative to their inquiry into whether the Foundation for Business Responsibilities had been used as a vehicle for political donations were stolen during burglaries at the offices of the foundation; [30952]
(2) what were the addresses and dates of the series of thefts which limited the Charity Commissioner's ability to determine conclusively whether the Foundation for Business Responsibilities was used as a vehicle for political donations; [30951]
(3) what confirmatory evidence was sought by the Charity Commissioner's investigators that thefts from the offices of the Foundation for Business Responsibilities had (a) occurred and (b) been reported to the police. [30953]
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThe Charity Commission investigators sought and received confirmation from the police that a break-in at 40 Doughty street, London WC1, which resulted in the theft of records belonging to the Foundation for Business Responsibilities, was reported to them as having taken place between 29 and 30 April 1993. The Charity Commission did not seek other evidence to confirm that the break-in had occurred.
There was no means of obtaining independent confirmation as to the actual records taken.