THE 1939 Emergency Defence of the Realm Act has not been repealed and we are the only nation in Europe being ruled by secrecy as though the 1940 war was still on.
This is an abuse of power as there is no provision for Parliamentary scrutiny.
Richard Scott in his enquiry found that the MI5 and MI6 were more open and forthcoming than the various Government departments which were economical with the truth. The Government hid from the public the facts about arms traders using false certificates to get around the arms embargo to supply unpleasant regimes with the weapons to use against their own people.
In 1995 the Export Credit department lost £85 million of taxpayers' money and the following enquiry was obstructed by 'missing' papers'. It would appear that money is the motive of all the scandals.
National interests seem to be defined as to what the Government says it to be. Ministers of State ought not to be allowed to evade Parliamentary questions.
How can the public know the truth when information is kept from the media because 'it is not in the public interest' to know?
F Foster
Halifax Road
Nelson
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