Derek McDowell (Labour)

My concern – I appreciate the Minister's forbearance in hearing it – is that this allows decision makers a huge breadth of discretion in neither confirming nor denying that there is a particular record. While I know the section is intended to cover particular cases, I would like the Minister to outline what he considers those cases to be, rather than allow a section to stand without explanation as to what it is intended to do. As I have applied my mind to framing an amendment in a way which would restrict discretion, I know it is difficult. However, it is important to outline what the section is intended to do.