§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Lord Henley's Answer of Thursday 15 December (H.L. Deb.; col. WA 141) to the effect that the Ministry of Defence keeps no record of Armed Forces officers who have taken up appointments with companies in the defence industry means that they do not monitor in any way whether officers or whether retired officials abide by the Official Secrets Act and any restrictions "which the Department may have placed on their application for employment with the prospective employer" (H.L. Deb., 15 December, col. WA 140).
§ Lord HenleyI refer the noble Lord to my Answer of 30 January (H.L. Debates, col.WA 99).
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, further to Lord Henley's written Answer of 30 January (H.L. Deb., col. WA 139) that "Neither the Official Secrets Acts nor the rules of acceptance of outside appointments require the department to monitor whether officials abide by their duties under the Acts, or by restrictions imposed on their applications for outside employment", such records are kept anywhere.
§ Lord HenleyNo monitoring is undertaken and no records are kept anywhere.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Lord Henley's statement (H.L. Deb., 8 February col. WA 12) that former Ministry of Defence personnel have applied to join the United States manufacturers of Tomahawk missiles, which Her Majesty's Government are considering buying, yet Her Majesty's Government "maintain no record of whether any individual has joined either company" displays appropriate concern for the Official Secrets Acts by which those individuals presumably continue to be bound.
§ Lord HenleyYes.