§ Dr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 1999,Official Report, column 338W, what restrictions were placed on contractors carrying out research projects funded by his Department in 1999 in respect of them discussing their findings with journalists (a) before and (b) after publication. [108193]
§ Mr. MullinI refer to the answer that I gave on 1 February 2000,Official Report, column 521W, on Departmental Research Contracts, when a copy of the standard research contract conditions in use by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, was placed in the Library of the House of Commons. Standard condition 13.6 requires that the contractor shall not communicate with representatives of the general or technical press, radio, television or other communications media unless specifically granted permission to do so in writing by the Department. This would apply to disclosure to journalists both before and after publication.