Member

These additional targeted redactions, made outside the agreed ISC process, have been made in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Ministerial Code, and the resolutions on ministerial accountability passed by both Houses in 1997. This is important because it goes to the question of whether the Government have complied fully with the humble Address. That question should be answered in the context of the established rules and precedents that relate to humble Addresses. If these rules were not relevant, the humble Address would have required extensive additional detail on the face of the Motion dealing with these procedural issues. However, I recognise the level of interest in the House in respect of these redactions not related to national security and international relations, so, on the recommendation of the ISC, I can confirm that the honourable Member for North Dorset, Simon Hoare, the chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, has reviewed our approach to third-party redactions this morning. He has confirmed that we have applied the methodology set out in the document and that, in his view, the redactions are sensible, reasonable and proportionate. I thank the ISC for this recommendation and the honourable Member for the additional reassurance he has provided on this point.