HL Deb 20 November 2000 vol 619 cc57-8WA
Lord Pearson of Rannoch

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Department of Health is free to employ the legal advisers who act for their French counterparts; and, if not, why not. [HL4305]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

The Department of Health, like any other government department, is free to seek legal advice from independent private sector lawyers. Such lawyers could, provided they avoided any conflict of interest, provide legal advice to the French Government also. The United Kingdom Government are not aware that in-house lawyers employed by the French Government hold themselves out as available to advise the UK Government.