HC Deb 06 February 1980 vol 978 cc244-5W
Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report the assurances of the right hon. Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson) concerning the tapping of hon. Members' telephones, which describes the practice currently followed.

Mr. Gwilym Roberts

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report the assurance of the right hon. Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson) concerning the tapping of hon. Members' telephones, which describes the practice currently followed.

The Prime Minister

In answers to questions on 17 November 1966 the right hon. Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson) said that on taking office as Prime Minister in October 1964 he had given instructions that there was to be no tapping of the telephones of Members of Parliament; that that remained the policy of the Government; and that, if there was a development of a kind which required a change in the general policy, he would, at such moment as seemed compatible with the security of the country, on his own initiative make a statement in the House about it. I can reaffirm, as has each of my predecessors since that time, that the policy remains as stated by the right hon. Gentleman.