Public Accounts Committee (Reports)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 3 December 1973.

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The Government have replied to that comment in the Treasury Minute. The Committee did not make the comment lightly, and perhaps I might emphasise, if it needs emphasising, that it is a nonpartisan comment in two senses. First, it was a unanimous comment of the Public Accounts Committee, which consists of members of both the main parties in the House. Secondly, the secrecy which we were criticising, or asking the Government to reconsider, has been adopted by successive Governments. Our comment was not directed specifically at the Government, therefore. It was made as the Government will appreciate, in the knowledge of a great deal of the information which the Government thought it necessary to keep confidential.