HC Deb 04 March 1996 vol 273 cc91-2W
Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Attorney-General what monitoring is undertaken of the documents relating to PII claims; and if he will make a statement. [17792]

The Attorney-General

It is for the Minister or other responsible person advancing a PII claim to satisfy himself that the documents fall within the scope of the claim as formulated.

Mr. Carlile

To ask the Attorney-General (1) what is the definition his Department follows of public interest in relation to a PH certificate; and if he will make a statement; [17555]

The Attorney-General

The law on public interest immunity is judge-made. The courts have held that a PH claim may be advanced with respect to a document either on the basis of its contents or because it belongs to one of the established PII classes.

As to the future, I have announced that the Government are considering carefully the recommendations in the Scott report in relation to PII and are seeking the views of interested parties. The Government intend that the House will have an opportunity to consider the circumstances in which PH should be claimed by Ministers and the criteria for those claims, Official Report, 26 February 1996, column 684.