§ Lord MELCHETTasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will confirm that authorised telephone intercepts played a part in the initial detection of 32 kilos of heroin in the rear wheels of two Volkswagen saloon cars at the Royal 1608WA Albert Docks in September 1978, and whether they agree that if the attention of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise had been drawn to these cars as a result of information available before the heroin was seized, it was misleading for Her Majesty's Customs and Excise to state that the initial detection of the cars resulted from the vigilance of an officer of Customs and Excise's Mobile Task Force.
§ Lord COCKFIELDIt has been the long-standing practice of successive Governments never to confirm or deny that interception has been authorised in any particular case. Her Majesty's Government would not be prepared to depart from this practice. As to the seizure of 32 kilos of heroin from the rear wheels of the two Volkswagen saloon cars at the Royal Albert Dock in September 1978, I have nothing further to add to my Answer on 26th June 1980.
House adjourned at thirteen minutes past six o'clock.