TRUSTPOLITICS
Richard Foord

Richard Foord

Liberal Democrat — Honiton and Sidmouth

Speaking in the House of Commons on 27 April 2026

Debate

Lord Mandelson Humble Address: Government Response Update

Contribution

I am grateful to the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister for his statement. He said that, “in line with the process agreed by the Intelligence and Security Committee, the Government will not publish information that undermines or threatens our country’s national security or international relations.” That sentence is correct, but it implies that this is a Government process that the ISC has acceded to, and that is not quite right. Rather, the Government propose redactions and the ISC directs that redactions be made on the basis that full publication would be prejudicial to national security or international relations. This matters because we want to maintain trust in the Intelligence and Security Committee, of which I am a member. Does the Chief Secretary accept that the Government propose redactions and that the ISC considers them and directs which ones should be made?
← Previous speaker
In this debate
Next speaker →
In this debate

More from Richard Foord

Other recent Hansard contributions by the same speaker.

View Richard Foord's full report card →

About Hansard

Hansard is the official verbatim record of proceedings in the UK Parliament. Every word spoken in the Commons and Lords is recorded and published — this page is a single contribution from that record.

For Richard Foord's full parliamentary record including voting history, expenses and all other contributions, see the Richard Foord report card.