Hansard

Public Interest Immunity Certificates

Volume 268: debated on Tuesday 5 December 1995

Download text
Back to top Previous debate Next debate
The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all those in his Department who have authority to issue public interest immunity certificates; how many such certificates have been issued in each of the last five years; and what were the main reasons for them. [1431]

Mr. Hanley

A claim to public interest immunity relating to departmental documents or information is normally made by the appropriate Minister. There have been four cases in which certificates were used inter partes in proceedings:

  • (a) Two certificates signed the then Foreign Secretary, the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd), in June 1991 and January 1992, in respect of a case of unfair dismissal brought in an industrial tribunal by a former FCO member of staff;
  • (b) Two certificates, signed in September 1992 by the then Minister of State, the right hon. Member for Watford (Mr. Garel-Jones) relating to the Matrix Churchill prosecution;
  • (c) Two certificates, signed by the then Minister of State, the hon. Member for Warwickshire, North (Mr. Maude) in June 1990 and by the then Minister of State, Lord Caithness, in February 1992, concerning the case of the extradition of Lorrain Osman to Hong Kong; and
  • (d) One certificate, signed by the then Foreign Secretary the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) in May 1995, in connection with the Ord-Tec appeal.