§ Dr. Julian LewisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make it his policy to disclose all representations received from members of the Government relating to the destruction of files held on them by the security service; [28037]
(2) pursuant to his answer of 3 February 1998, Official Report, column 589, for what reasons it is not his policy to give information about any representations he has received from hon. Members, Ministers or from other sources in relation to the destruction of files held by the security service; [28036]
(3) for what reasons it is not his policy to specify the total numbers of representations received from (a) hon. Members and (b) other individuals in respect of the destructions of security service files. [28121]
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§ Mr. Straw[holding answers 6 February 1998]: I am not prepared to give any information about representations received in relation to the destruction of files held by the Security Service, including the number of such representations, where the provision of such information might enable the identity of any individual to be deduced, or might give rise to speculation about their identity. 1 consider it important that people should feel free to make representations on such matters in the knowledge that their confidentiality will be respected. This applies to any representations from people in the categories mentioned by the hon. Member as it would to others.