Security Service (Hansard, 6 April 1998)

§ Dr. Julian Lewis
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's policy towards the publication in the press of disclosures by former MI5 officers. [37669]

§ Mr. Straw
I deplore any publication of unauthorised disclosures of information on security or intelligence matters.
Former Security Service officers are bound by a duty of lifelong confidentiality arising out of their employment by the Security Service. They are also liable to prosecution under section 1 (1)(a) of the Official Secrets Act 1989 if, without lawful authority, they disclose information relating to security and intelligence obtained by virtue of their membership of the Service.
Where the Government become aware of any plans by a former member of the Security Service to disclose such security or intelligence information without authority, we shall take such steps as are open to us, including seeking restraining injunctions against the individual in question and the relevant publisher, to prevent such disclosures. Investigation of possible offences under the Official Secrets Act arising from unauthorised disclosure is a matter for the police.

§ Dr. Julian Lewis
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards the funding of MI5. [37670]

§ Mr. Straw
The budget of the Security Service is carried on the Single Intelligence Vote (Class XVIII Vote 2).
Provision for the security and intelligence agencies is agreed collectively by Ministers when setting public expenditure plans.

§ Mr. Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to allow individuals on whom files are held by MI5 to see those files in cases where it is intended that such files be destroyed. [37874]

§ Mr. Straw
No. In order to safeguard the operational effectiveness of the Security Service, it has been the policy of successive Governments not to disclose information about the operations of the Security Service, including whether the Service holds or has held files on any individual.