HC Deb 28 March 1995 vol 257 cc628-9W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what specific efforts were made by his Department to establish with Mr. James himself whether any of the documents referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Leyton, (Mr. Cohen) of 21 July 1994,Official Report, column 556, were personal rather than company documents. [17002]

Mr. Soames

None. The documents were taken by the Ministry of Defence police from Astra plc/BMARC after Mr. James had left the company. They were considered to be company documents and treated as such throughout the MDP investigation.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he has handed any of the Astra plc documents to Sir Richard Scott, pursuant to his Department's letter of 27 January 1993 to Mr. J. Barratt of Cork Gulley. [17008]

Mr. Soames

The provision of documents to Sir Richard Scott's inquiry is a matter between my Department and the inquiry.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the role of Ministers and deputy permanent secretaries in his Department in authorising or sanctioning the raid on Astra plc in 1990; and which of his officials and Ministers were subsequently consulted about the return of documents. [17010]

Mr. Soames

None. Ministry of Defence police who conducted the investigation are operationally independent in such matters.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what opportunity was afforded to Mr. James to recover documents which may have been his personal property or to consult with his staff; and if a list of seized documents was made available to him. [17004]

Mr. Soames

No opportunity was offered to Mr. James to recover documents which may have been his personal property or to consult with his staff. Documents taken by Ministry of Defence police were considered to be company documents and a list was never made available to Mr. James who had left Astra/BMARC at the time of the MOD police investigation.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the occasions when his Department has been approached by Mr. Gerald James seeking to recover his own personal documents from among those documents seized by MOD staff in April 1990. [17006]

Mr. Soames

Ministry of Defence police have no record of any direct approach by Mr. James seeking to recover documents seized by them.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the role and function of Mr. J. W. Cassey at the offices of Astra plc in 1990; and what have been his official appointments before and since that period. [17005]

Mr. Soames

The Ministry of Defence police have no knowledge of Mr. Cassey's role and function at the offices of Astra plc in 1990; nor of his official appointments before and since that date.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what period in 1990 his staff were on the premises of Astra plc at 6 St. James place, London; and if he will summarise the documents and materials removed by his staff from those premises. [17007]

Mr. Soames

Ministry of Defence police have not conducted a search of the premises of Astra plc at 6 St. James place, London.