§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has received complaints from the directors of Lonrho that the Government leaked details of his Department's report on investigations into the company's operations to countries overseas; and to what extent in this case and others where investigations have taken place into a company's affairs details of these have been sent to persons overseas before notification to the company concerned and the House.
§ Mr. DellNo copies of the report were made available to overseas Governments before publication. In May advice on probable local reaction was sought, in confidence, from certain British posts abroad, who were told for this purpose of the main conclusions of the report. Mr. Rowland told my Department that he was aware of this action.
A copy of the report was forwarded to the company, in accordance with the provisions of Section 168 of the Companies Act 1948, on 5th March, four days after it was submitted to the then Secretary of State. This was well before information about its contents was passed to selected British posts abroad. There is no provision in the Act for a copy to be laid in the House.