Letters to Members(Security Gradings)

HC Deb 19 March 1946 vol 420 cc320-1W

83. Major Tufton Beamish

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give an assurance that information of a top secret, secret, restricted or confidential nature passed by the Service Ministries to Members of Parliament in reply to letters, will be so marked.

Mr. Lawson

Yes, Sir. It is the practice of all the Service Departments to mark letters to hon. Members with the appropriate security grading. Letters do, however, on occasions contain information which, though not strictly confidential, it may not be desirable to pass on to constituents. In such cases we must continue to rely on the judgment of hon. Members.