Official Information (Public Access) (Hansard, 6 February 1985)

§ The Prime Minister:

We have a clear policy to make as much information available as possible while preserving the confidentiality essential to the effective working of the

The dates, destination, purpose and numbers of accompanying staff (including advisers and shorthand writers where relevant) of overseas visits by the departmental select committees are as follows:
Session	Destination	Staff	Purpose
Agriculture Committee
1979–80	Netherlands and France	3	To discuss common problems with leading figures with the relevant Governments and dairy industry in relation to the inquiry into the Economic, Social and Health Implications for the United Kingdom of the Common Agricultural Policy of Milk and Dairy Products.
1979–80	Brussels	2	For meetings with officials of the European Commission, in relation to the inquiry into the Economic, Social and Health Implications for the United Kingdom of the Common Agricultural Policy of Milk and Dairy Products.
1980–81	West Germany and Denmark	3	To visit various research establishments and farms, and to meet Government and industry representatives, in relation to the inquiry into Animal Welfare in Poultry, Pig and Veal Calf Production.
1980–81	Brussels	2	To discuss the subject of Animal Welfare in Poultry, Pig and Veal Calf Production with officials of the European Commission.
1981–82	France	3	To visit the Puy-de-Dome area of the Auvergne and meet with Government officials, in relation to the inquiry into the Financial Policy of the EEC, of Member States and, as appropriate, of other countries, in relation to agriculture, with particular reference to poultry, horticulture, eggs and less favoured areas.
1981–82	West Germany	2	To visit less favoured areas, and to discuss general policy questions with Federal Ministry officials, in relation to the inquiry into financial policy of the EEC, of Member States, and, as appropriate, of other countries, in relation to agriculture, with particular reference to poultry, horticulture, eggs and less favoured areas.
1982–83	United States of America and Canada	2	To visit various research establishments and private firms, in relation to the inquiry into the organisation and financing of agricultural research and development.
1983–84	Brussels and Netherlands	3	In relation to the inquiry into the effect of feedstuff prices on the United Kingdom pig and poultry industries.
1984–85	Brussels	2	To discuss the effects of the implementation of dairy quotas.
The total costs incurred to date on these visits by the Committee are £37,331.
			Defence Committee
1979–80	West Germany	3	Inquiry into Ammunition Storage.
1980–81	United States of America	2	Inquiry into Strategic Nuclear Weapons Policy.
1981–82	West Germany	3	Inquiry into British Forces, Germany.
1981–82	France	3	Exchange visit with Defence Committee of Assemblée Nationale; visits to French forces
1981–82	United States of America, Japan and	3	Inquiry into Burden-sharing in Western Defence; British Forces, Hong Kong.
1982–83	Falklands Islands	3	Inquiry into Future Defence of the Falklands.
1982–83	Greece, Turkey and Italy	2	Inquiry into Southern Flank of NATO.
1983–84	Cyprus	2	Inquiry into British Forces in Cyprus.
1984–85	West Germany	2	Exercise LIONHEART.
The total costs incurred to date on these visits by the Committee are £87,535.
			Education, Science and Arts Committee
1979–80	Brussels and Luxembourg	2	Relevant to inquiry into Information Storage and Retrieval in the British Library Service.

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Government. I asked Ministers in charge of Departments to give this their close personal attention when we took office in 1979, and a very wide range of information is now available as a result.

I remain unconvinced that legislation to give a statutory general right of access to official information would suit our system of government or give a better result in terms of the essential accountability of the Government to Parliament and the electorate.