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Question
Asked about involvement of military police in this incident, when the investigation will report, if findings will be published. Also questioned on level of classification of documents found at bus stop, whether espionage has been ruled out, if allies were informed immediately, and impact on morale of armed forces.
Minister reply
MOD police are involved as part of the investigation. Timing for report is hoped to be in very short order (possibly a week), but cannot commit due to potential further findings. Official classification of documents is “UK Eyes Only”. Espionage not ruled out but individual self-reported loss. Allies informed, specifically the US. Emphasised importance of providing good support and back-up to armed forces.
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Question
Asked if any official secrets legislation was broken by handing documents to BBC or by selective quoting from classified information, whether Government will inquire about payment for acquisition of these documents.
Minister reply
Documents should ideally be handed over to police upon finding; preferred immediate handover but recognises BBC's responsible handling and returning of documents.
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Question
Concerned about context of discovery, mentions decline in public standards, worries about morale and trust in public life.
Minister reply
Admits incident is a mistake; investigation thorough to ensure such mistakes do not happen again. Acknowledges concerns about confidence in procedures.
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Question
Asked when Government will introduce reform of Official Secrets Act, particularly on classification and punishment for breaches.
Minister reply
Reform being looked into by the Government but not directly part of MOD's responsibility.
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Jamie Stone
Lib Dem
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Question
Concerned about impact on morale of armed forces, hope that inquiry will pick up exactly what happened.
Minister reply
Agrees with importance of confidence in procedures for armed forces; investigation to find out if policies were followed.
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Question
The MP is concerned about the BBC publishing secret information rather than passing it to the police or MOD. He inquires if procedures for safely carrying restricted documents out of secure locations have stopped.
Minister reply
Minister confirmed that policies and procedures are in place regarding document safety but these need to be investigated further to determine whether they were followed and if improvements are necessary.
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Question
The MP requests a commitment from the Minister for a statement on the Floor of the House upon conclusion of the investigation, avoiding another urgent question.
Minister reply
Minister assures that information regarding the outcome and any further tightening of procedures will be shared with the House.
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Question
The MP inquires if discussions have occurred between UK, Ukrainian government, and the ambassador to Ukraine concerning maintaining confidence with allies.
Minister reply
Minister confirms ongoing relationship with Ukraine but does not comment on specific details of conversations with friends and allies.
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Question
The MP questions whether steps have been taken to secure the safety of service personnel in Afghanistan and on HMS Defender.
Minister reply
Minister confirms that all documents have been returned and necessary mitigating actions will be put in place.
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Question
The MP asks for confirmation regarding the safety of serving personnel following the loss of sensitive documents.
Minister reply
Minister assures that ongoing measures are taken to ensure safety and security of defence personnel.
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Question
The MP inquires about organisations involved in the investigation into document compromise.
Minister reply
Minister confirms that MOD police are involved and assures all relevant parties will participate.
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Question
The MP asks if the Ministry of Defence is reassessing plans with allies regarding Afghanistan.
Minister reply
Minister confirms that developments in Afghanistan are constantly monitored and updated.
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Question
The MP questions about maintaining maritime freedoms alongside allies and the appropriate treatment of classified documents.
Minister reply
Minister assures that proper classification and secrecy of information are critical, investigation will test for necessary procedure changes.
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Question
The MP expresses anger over security breach and requests reassurance regarding the punishment matching risk to personnel.
Minister reply
Minister emphasises the need for safety and security, confirming that investigation must be completed before further actions are considered.
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Question
The MP questions if policies regarding secure document handling will change as a result of this incident.
Minister reply
Minister assures ongoing investigation, stating recommendations for tightening procedures will be taken seriously.
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Question
Questions the Minister about restrictions on taking classified documents out of the Ministry of Defence and why they were in physical form.
Minister reply
Confirms that there are restrictions on carrying paper documents out of the MOD, as tablets have better security protections. The investigation will determine whether these procedures were followed.
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Question
Concerned about potential weaknesses adversaries may find in operations and international rules adherence.
Minister reply
Reassures that the Royal Navy adheres to international rules and law of the sea, and confirms investigation will address whether our adversaries have sight of the documents.
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Question
Asks for assurance that the investigation will not be a blame game and Parliament will be informed of its results.
Minister reply
States the investigation is to find out what happened and learn for future prevention. Ensures the House will be advised of the conclusions.
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Question
Questions if the culprit, whether negligent or malicious, will face consequences.
Minister reply
Emphasises the need to investigate before making any judgements and ensures policies and procedures will be reviewed for improvement.
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Question
Suggests that if it was human recklessness, there needs to be serious consequences. Wants reassurance from investigation.
Minister reply
Will wait for the investigation's conclusion before determining whether policies need tightening or blame is assigned.
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Question
Asks about document security training at MOD, who receives it and how often.
Minister reply
Confirms that annual security briefings are mandated for all employees, including information on proper handling of documents.
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Question
Expresses dissatisfaction with the Minister's response to the breach and questions why the Secretary of State is not present.
Minister reply
Explains that the Secretary of State cannot be present due to recent contact with someone who tested positive for covid-19.
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Question
Questions how the Government can reassure the public about similar breaches not happening in future, and asks for a more comprehensive investigation.
Minister reply
Acknowledges past data breaches but distinguishes this case as loss of physical documents. The investigation will determine prevention measures.
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Question
Asks if there are drills for handling such 'never events' and suggests implementing them.
Minister reply
Confirms procedures are in place upon reporting lost documents, and the investigation will check whether actions were appropriate.
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Question
Inquires about safety of British troops and conversations with allies affected by this breach.
Minister reply
Reassures that there is no evidence of compromised personnel safety, but investigation will ensure mitigation if needed. Contacted US to inform them.