§ Mrs. Renee Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds the Metropolitan Police refused to give detailed information to the Committee on Data Protection.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees:In January 1977 the Metropolitan Police submitted 19 typed pages of evidence to the committee. In 584W March 1977 three officers gave oral evidence to the committee for almost two hours. They gave detailed answers to questions except where to have done so would have divulged classified information. Such matters were dealt with subsequently in a letter to the committee secretary written in response to an invitation to comment on a newspaper article about a computer project. Requests for additional information were received from the committee in July and September 1977. Both were responded to in detail. The Commissioner takes the view that the Metropolitan Police have given the fullest co-operation to the committee while exercising proper care in the handling of classified information.