HC Deb 27 November 2000 vol 357 cc416-7W
34. Ms Oona King

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the deployment of British armed forces in Sierra Leone. [138607]

Mr. Spellar

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, East and Saddleworth (Mr. Woolas) and the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath),Official Report, column 624.

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on which occasions his Department's officials met Mr. Mikhail Karacostas during Mr. Peter Penfold's period as UK High Commissioner in Sierra Leone. [138756]

Mr. Hoon

I am not aware of any meetings between officials of the Ministry of Defence and Mr. Karacostas during Mr. Penfold's period in office as UK High Commissioner.

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what briefing his Department has provided since 1997 to newspaper editors on matters relating to(a) police corruption, (b) terrorist activities, (c) arms trafficking and (d) Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. [138791]

Dr. Moonie

Press officers for the Ministry of Defence give oral briefings to journalists every day in response to inquiries on all matters relating to defence. In addition, they provide collective briefings for journalists on a regular basis on issues of topical interest.

No central record is kept of briefings for journalists.