§ Sir Patrick CormackTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the unedited version of the Griffiths Report. [119061]
§ Ms Rosie Winterton[holding answer 16 June 2003]: The "Report of a Review of the Research Framework of the North Staffordshire Hospitals NHS Trust" was published in full in May 2000. A copy of the final report is available on the internet at: www.doh.gov.uk/wmro/northstaffs.htm
Under section 2 of the "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information", the information sought is exempt from being made available. It is not appropriate to make publicly available draft (or "unedited") versions or evidence collected for any report as they are for internal discussion. Furthermore, for legal reasons, drafts have to be shared with people who have contributed to reports for correctness and the final version has to be cleared/approved by solicitors.