HC Deb 25 October 1999 vol 336 cc683-4W
Mr. Baldry

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he expects police authorities to hold concerning the membership of freemasonry among police officers; on what basis such information will be compiled; and to whom it will be available. [R] [94942]

Mr. Charles Clarke

Police authorities will hold no such information. Chief Constables in England and Wales are in the process of establishing voluntary, internal, registers of freemasonry membership in their forces. At this stage, while arrangements for its publication remain to be determined, the information disclosed will be used for internal management purposes and to provide statistical information about the extent of freemasonry membership in the police service.