§ Mr.Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has yet completed the investigation referred to in the letter of 13 April from the Minister of State for Defence Procurement to the hon. Member for Yeovil to discover whether American officials located in his Department are providing information on United Kingdom-based computer leasing companies to the United States Administration; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LeeThe investigation had in fact been completed when my hon. Friend the Minister of State wrote to the hon. Member on 13 April and the results were set out in that letter. As it said in the letter, it would not be possible for United States liaison staff to obtain information on United Kingdom-based computer leasing companies from the Ministry of Defence because the Ministry does not itself hold this information. I am sure my hon. Friend would be sorry that his letter has given rise to misunderstanding over the timing of the investigation.