HC Deb 25 March 1985 vol 76 c17W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Seretary of State for the Home Department how long he devoted to reviewing security operations before his announcement on 12 March, Official Report, column 154, that no operation, investigation, surveillance of action against any individual had been carried out without due propriety.

Mr. Brittan

I have a continuing responsibility to satisfy myself that the security service operates entirely within the letter and spirit of its directive. My inquiries into the particular allegations were made in the context of that continuing responsibility, but I do not propose to say more on how they were pursued.