HC Deb 07 March 2000 vol 345 c568W
Mr. Paterson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police officers have been involved in the protection of Senator Pinochet since October 1998; [113513]

(2) how much has been spent from public funds on protecting Senator Pinochet since October 1998 (a) in total and (b) broken down by the principal heads of expenditure. [113514]

Mr. Straw

The information requested cannot be provided for security reasons. The number of officers deployed to protect Senator Pinochet by the Surrey police and the Metropolitan police are operational issues for the appropriate chief officer of police.

Mr. Paterson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the costs to public funds of Government participation in legal activity relating to General Pinochet(a) to date and (b) in total; and if he will break this information down by the principal heads of expenditure. [113529]

Mr. Straw

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, Lord Bassam, on 2 March 2000,Official Report, House of Lords, column WA87.