To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times Exemption 2 in the Code of Practice on access to Government information was used by his Department in replying to parliamentary questions to justify withholding information in the last 12 months. [681601

Of 2,731 questions answered by all Ministers in this Department in the year ending 22 January 1999, some or all of the information requested was withheld under exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Internal discussions and advice) on 13 occasions.