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Statement released on Home Office leaks

28 November 2008

The Permanent Secretary, David Normington, issued the following statement on the police investigation into leaks of sensitive information.

David Normington said:

'The Home Office has suffered a number of leaks of sensitive information over an extended period. Due to the nature of our business this was clearly a matter of serious concern, in that it risked undermining the effective operation of my department.

'I therefore requested police assistance in trying to identify the sources of these leaks. The police investigation led to a junior member of the Home Office being arrested on 19 November, and subsequently suspended from duty.

'Yesterday, I was informed by the Metropolitan Police at about 1.45 pm that a search was about to be conducted of the home and offices of a member of the opposition front bench.  I was subsequently told that an arrest had been made. 

Ministers were not involved in the decision to seek police assistance, or in the subsequent investigation, and were only told of the arrest after it had occurred.

'This is an ongoing police investigation so it would be inappropriate to comment any further.'

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