§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to his answer of 25 November,Official Report, column 654, what is the nature of the national interest which led him to sign a public interest immunity certificate on 27 July;
(2)pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 654, if he will list the police forces, prosecuting authorities and others involved in the communications regarding which he signed a public interest immunity certificate on 27 July, whether in the United Kingdom or abroad;
(3)pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 654, how many communications, and over what period of time, were covered by the public interest immunity certificate he signed on 27 July; and between what dates those communications took place;
(4)pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 654, what matters or issues were dealt with in the communications covered by the public interest immunity certificates he signed on 27 July;
(5)pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 654, whether, in regard to the public interest immunity certificate he signed on 27 July, the communications covered involved matters of national security interest.
§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke[holding answer 1 to 4 December 1992]:The certificate asserted the public interest in protecting the confidentially of exchange of information in482W order to prevent or detect crime. I do not believe that it would be in the public interest for exchanges between police authorities investigating crime to be put into the public domain. It would not be sensible to give further details in this case.