§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the names of those individuals or organisations making representations to his Department on the draft Chemical Weapons Bill; and if he will place all such representations except for parts that may be commercially confidential in the Library. [538]
§ Mr. OppenheimOn 19 July my Department circulated 500 copies of a draft Bill, and invited comments. A revised draft Bill, taking account of all the views received, was published on 2 November.
In general, industry representatives indicated that they were in agreement with the provisions of the Bill. Other views emphasised the need for the operations of the
250WDepartment, (c) investigated or prosecuted by his Department or by the stock exchange and (d) resulting in a conviction in each year since 1988. [541]
§ Mr. Jonathan EvansThe information sought by the hon. Member is contained in my Department's report on companies published annually by HMSO. For convenience I provide a compendium of information derived from reports from 1988–89 to 1994–95. The stock exchange reviews transactions ahead of all price-sensitive announcements on a routine basis. Where evidence of insider dealing is suspected a referral is made to the Department. The tables include such referrals.
DTI as national authority to be transparent, that it should be accountable, and that the Crown should be bound by the provisions of the Bill. However, those people and organisations who responded had no reason to expect that their names, or individual views, would be made public. In view of this it would not be proper to place their representations in the Library of the House.