HC Deb 08 February 1983 vol 36 c312W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to amend the Official Secrets Acts to prevent former Ministers of the Crown from publishing information about matters which came to their knowledge by virtue of their holding an office within any previous Government.

Mr. Whitelaw

No. I am satisfied that the existing provisions of the Official Secrets Acts, coupled with the general guidelines regarding disclosure of such information by former Ministers which are set out in the "Report of the Committee of Privy Counsellors on Ministerial Memoirs" (Cmnd. 6386), are adequate.

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