asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to the dates on which Mr. Clive Ponting was interviewed by police; and if any officers of the Metropolitan police special branch were involved at any time.

I understand from the Commissioner that no Metropolitan police officers were involved in the investigations which led to the bringing of charges against Mr. Ponting. The only involvement of the Metropolitan police was in making administrative arrangements for Mr. Ponting to be questioned and subsequently charged by the Ministry of Defence police at Cannon Row police station on 17 August 1984.