§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 29 June 1998,Official Report, columns 14–15, for what reasons Post Notes, the staff newsletter of the Defence Postal and Courier Agency, is classified restricted; and if his Department plans to remove this classification. [53372]
§ Mr. SpellarThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Postal and Courier Services Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Richard Bugler to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 29 July 1998:
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning the Agency newsletter 'Post Notes', as this matter falls within my area of responsibility in the absence, on leave, of the Chief Executive of the Defence Postal and Courier Services Agency (DPCSA),The Chief Executive recently took the decision to classify 'Post Notes' 'Restricted' because he was concerned for the security of both the civilian and military personnel of the Agency, whose personal details and movements are sometimes given in the newsletter. There was some evidence to suggest that the unauthorised reproduction of articles and notes from the newsletter was more widespread than was intended for what is essentially an in-house staff journal. There are currently no plans to remove this classification.