§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister whether the assurance she gave to the House on 6 February 1980, Official Report, c. 244–245, that hon. Members' telephones would not be tapped, remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government.
§ The Prime MinisterIn answers to questions on 17 November 1966 the then right hon. Member for Huyton, now Lord Wilson of Rievaulx, 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 Lord Wilson.