Lieutenant Sethia (Diary)

HC Deb 14 December 1984 vol 69 c616W

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Lieutenant Sethia's diary was entered in HMS Conqueror's register of classified books.

Mr. Heseltine

No.

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department became aware of Lieutenant Sethia's diary.

Mr. Heseltine

Extracts, apparently from a diary of a member of HMS Conqueror's crew, were published on a number of occasions from 16 April 1984 onwards. The Ministry of Defence conducted an internal inquiry at the time to try to identify the diarist but failed to do so. It was only on 7 November 1984 that a copy of a diary came into the possession of the Department. I understand that inquiries into the matter are still continuing, and it would not be right for me to say any more about it at this stage.