National Security Council Leak Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

National Security Council Leak

Victoria Prentis Excerpts
Thursday 2nd May 2019

(5 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.

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David Lidington Portrait Mr Lidington
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As I said in response to an earlier question, the role of the Attorney General under the Official Secrets Act is not to authorise or initiate investigations, but to give or withhold consent for a prosecution if and when a finished case is presented to him.

Victoria Prentis Portrait Victoria Prentis (Banbury) (Con)
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I know from sitting firmly on the other side of the official-ministerial divide how hard it is to get officials, let alone our allies, to share important, and particularly secret, information with Ministers at all. Does my right hon. Friend agree that what matters is that we protect the integrity of the National Security Council if it is to operate at all properly?

David Lidington Portrait Mr Lidington
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Yes, I agree wholeheartedly with my hon. Friend.