LeazesMag 0 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 (edited) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15301859 Oliver Letwin dumps documents in park bins The West Dorset MP says the papers were not of a sensitive nature <p class="story-feature related narrow" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; position: relative; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: -160px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px; width: 144px; float: right; display: inline; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; clear: right; ">Continue reading the main story Related Stories Letwin in 'Sheffield insult' row NHS bill to 'alter substantively' Do murder laws work, asks Letwin Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin has admitted throwing out official paperwork in park bins near No 10. He was photographed by the Daily Mirror disposing of private letters and other papers over five days. The paper claims more than 100 were thrown away including correspondence on terrorism and national security. His office said papers were not "sensitive" but the information commissioner will look into whether data protection laws were breached. Labour have accused Mr Letwin of "cavalier" behaviour and urged Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell to look into whether the "strict procedures" for dealing with government documents had been broken. Mr Letwin, who is in charge of developing government policies, was seen in several separate images throwing paperwork in waste bins near Downing Street. On one occasion the West Dorset MP was photographed handing documents to a refuse collector. 'Personal and confidential' The Mirror claimed one document described how Parliament's intelligence and security committee (ISC) - which examines the work of MI5 and MI6 and GCHQ - "failed to get the truth" on Britain's involvement in extraordinary rendition. Human rights groups say the practice of secretly transporting terrorist abroad for interrogation became commonplace after the 11 September attacks on the US but the last Labour government denied any involvement in the practice. Sir Peter Gibson is heading up an inquiry into alleged involvement in torture by UK security agencies. Continue reading the main story “Start Quote They are not documents of a sensitive nature” Cabinet Office In one letter reportedly thrown away, Sir Malcolm Rifkind - the chairman of the ISC - is urged by a fellow Tory MP to revamp the body to "bolster public confidence in its work and in Parliament's ability to hold intelligence services to account". The letter's author Andrew Tyrie - chairman of the all-parliamentary committee on extraordinary rendition - notes that their correspondence is "personal and confidential". The newspaper said that although Mr Letwin tore up the letter, in which Mr Tyrie also questioned the independence of the ISC from government, its contents were still legible. However, Sir Malcolm - a former foreign secretary - told the BBC the letter "did not amount to a row of beans in terms of secrecy" and was just correspondence between two backbenchers. The Mirror says the discarded documents were all dated between July 2010 and September 2011 and included correspondence thrown away touched on subjects such as al-Qaeda's links in Pakistan, the government's flagship Big Society agenda and the future of the Forensic Science Service. Proper procedures The Mirror said it saw Mr Letwin disposing of the documents in St James's Park, which is adjacent to Downing Street and the Treasury, between 7 September and 10 October. Continue reading the main story “Start Quote It cannot be that there is one rule for ministers and another for everyone else” Michael DugherShadow Cabinet Office minister A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said: "Oliver Letwin does some of his parliamentary and constituency correspondence in the park before going to work and sometimes disposes of copies of letters there. "They are not documents of a sensitive nature." But the Office of the Information Commissioner said it would be contacting Mr Letwin, The Mirror and Whitehall officials to find out what had happened and stressed it regarded breaches of data protection very seriously. The Commissioner has the power to fine organisations and individuals up to £500,000 if it found anyone had suffered serious distress as a result of data protection breaches. Separately, Labour have written to Sir Gus O'Donnell, head of the civil service, to ask him to investigate how many documents the cabinet minister threw out in the park and whether any of them were classified. "I am sure you will agree that ministers have a duty to follow proper procedures and lead by example," Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Michael Dugher says in the letter. "This has clearly not happened in the case of Mr Letwin. As you aware, civil servants are subject to disciplinary procedures if the proper processes are not adhered to. It cannot be that there is one rule for ministers and another for everyone else." In a separate statement, Mr Dugher said Mr Letwin was "treating the public and their constituents with contempt by handling sensitive correspondence in this cavalier way". Edited October 14, 2011 by Ant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 "But the criticism was dismissed by Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith, who wrote on the Twitter website: "How is Oliver Letwin working in the park newsworthy? Whoever in Labour has asked for (yet another) inquiry should be put to sleep." Nice one Zac, fight the hyperbole by arguing those guilty of it should be killed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Was just reading about this. Documents relating to discussions about Mi5 and Mi6 aren't 'sensitive' apparently. Letwin has a face you could never grow tired of punching btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 31589 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Worst cut and paste job eva. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Letwin has a face you could never grow tired of punching btw. Looks Like Mark Kermode's twattish dad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trophyshy 7095 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Despite what it says at the bottom of the OP I can't believe you've edited that Leazes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeazesMag 0 Posted October 14, 2011 Author Share Posted October 14, 2011 Despite what it says at the bottom of the OP I can't believe you've edited that Leazes. I just decided to quote article, originally I just posted the link ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeazesMag 0 Posted October 14, 2011 Author Share Posted October 14, 2011 thanks Ant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 31589 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Now I can't read it using the light theme. Sort your life out Ant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Castell 0 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 My mother-in-law lives in his constituency (she didn't vote for him). I wish Dom Joly appeared in a mac, hat and sunglasses went up to Letwin, said "Thank you white fox, we will be in contact shortly", took the documents and walked off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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