Maurice Hayes (Independent)

We have moved slightly beyond the section under discussion. It is clear that there is a need to protect sensitive information. Everybody should not be allowed to tramp over those dealing with certain matters. I referred earlier to certain protocols. When I was doing this job in the North, I encountered cases of people who were refused permits to work in electricity stations, for example, because of information that was held. I agreed with the chief constable at the time that I, or a particularly designated officer, who happened to be an ex-policeman, should be allowed to go to see such information. The Government and the Minister could prevent the ombudsman from publishing a report that appeared damaging to state security, but they could not prevent the ombudsman from seeing the information in the first place.