§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many public interest immunity certificates his Department has issued in each year since 1986. [36687]
§ Sir George YoungI am unable to provide details for 1987–89. Central records were not kept and information before 1989 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Since that date, the position is as follows. As is already a matter of public record, in 1990 the then Secretary of Sate signed four certificates in connection with the fatal accident inquiry into the Lockerbie disaster but, in the event, none was produced at the inquiry. It is also a matter of public record that in 1992, the then Secretary of State signed two certificates relating to the Lockerbie disaster concerning the taking of evidence for proceedings in the United States. In the event, the taking of that evidence did not proceed and the certificates were not produced in that regard.