§ Lord Pearson of Rannochasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Chairman of Committees on 9 October 2000, which indicated that a company in which Mr Salah Idris is a leading shareholder has installed surveillance equipment at the Royal Courts of Justice and digital playback consoles for New Scotland Yard, whether they are satisfied with security arrangements at those premises; and, if so, in view of the report about Mr Idris in The Sunday Times on 30 July 2000, why. [HL1784]
§ The Lord ChancellorI have consulted with my right honourable friend the Home Secretary and we are both satisfied with the security at the locations mentioned.
116WAThe Royal Courts of Justice have four digital recording machines manufactured by IES, the company with which Mr Idris is connected. However the machines were procured and installed by a separate company contracted to maintain the security equipment within the Royal Courts. All personnel employed by this company working on the contract have been vetted and cleared by the security services and the police.
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has confirmed that equipment was loaned by IES to the Metropolitan Police Service for testing and evaluation purposes. The equipment in question has never been deployed operationally as part of the security arrangments for the New Scotland Yard complex nor any other Metropolitan Police Service premises.