§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the use of private detectives by Government Departments on public agencies; if he will issue guidelines about their use; what representations he has received on the civil liberty implications of such use; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanThis information is not held centrally. We have not received any representations on the civil liberty implications of the use by Government of private detectives nor have we any plans to introduce guidelines in this area. But we are looking again at policies on the whole of the private security industry and we await with interest the outcome of the Home Affairs Select Committee's current inquiry into the industry.