MEMORANDUM 9
Submitted by the Department for International
Development
Thank you for your letter of 9 June seeking an explanation
for the responses provided by the Secretary of State for International
Development on seven Parliamentary Questions.
Question 62386: This reply falls within the exemptions
in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information relating
to security. Provision of such information in respect of individuals
would provide a clear indication of their level of access to classified
material.
Questions 82685 and 82686: These replies fall within
the exemptions of the Code of Practice on Access to Government
Information relating to the privacy of an individual and information
given in confidence. References are requested on the basis that
they will be confidential. It would breach the principle of privacy
if we were to disclose the names of referees without first seeking
their consent. Any such breach would also be likely to prejudice
the willingness of individuals to supply references in the future.
The principle of consent is also not incorporated in the Data
Protection Act 1998 which came into force in March of this year.
Question 68424: This reply draws on the well established
convention that no information is given about the contents of
the Government's legislative programme in any particular session
until after the Queen's Speech at the beginning of that Session.
Questions 71070, 71072 and 71055: These replies fall
within exemption 2 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access
to Government Information, which covers internal discussion and
advice, the disclosure of which would harm the frankness and candour
of internal discussion.
3 July 2000
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