§ Mr. CohenTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what use his Department and the Department of Energy made of private detectives in each of the last five years; at what cost; and if he will list the firms involved.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonInformation on the use of private detectives in the context of the question is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions since 1979 his Department has engaged private detective agencies to investigate the activities of British citizens; and if he will list the date and purpose of each investigation.
§ Mr. Neil Hamilton[holding answer 18 November 1992]: Information on the use of private detectives in the context of the question is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.