HC Deb 28 January 1985 vol 72 cc37-8W

1983 An employee of the Salvage Association engaged by the Department of Trade to assist negotiation of a salvage contract was alleged to have disclosed details of rival tenders to one of those tendering. Both were tried at the Central Criminal Court and acquitted. A registry clerk at the British embassy in Bonn concealed items of diplomatic mail which had not been processed. On conclusion of his tour of duty he took them to his home in Kent where he abandoned them on moving house two years later. They were found by the subsequent occupier in September 1982 and comprised in excess of 400 documents, of which 141 were classified "confidential" and 51 "restricted". He pleaded guilty to each of two charges and was fined £600 on each charge. He was dealt with summarily. A serving police officer passed information concerning motor vehicles obtained from the Police national computer. The information was used in connection with criminal offences. He was charged with three offences and tried at Cardiff Crown court. He was convicted on one offence and fined £100.

1984 A clerk employed in the Foreign Office passed copies of two minutes written by her Secretary of State to colleagues to a national newspaper. She pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court and was sentenced to six months imprisonment. A civil servant employed by the Ministry of Defence stands charged with unauthorised disclosure to a Member of Parliament of certain documents in his possession. His trial is currently taking place in the Central Criminal Court. A civil servant employed by the Home Office stands charged with unauthorised disclosure of a document in his possession. Committal proceedings are pending.