Government says it will not publish the details of a letter which it has sent to the world Health organisation about allegations of forced organ harvesting in China. Surely, as a principle of transparency and openness this correspondence should be in the public domain?
Lord Alton of Liverpool – To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 23 September (HL Deb, col 1834), to (1) send a copy of the Minister’s letter to the World Health Organization to the Members who participated in the oral question asked by the Bishop of St Albans on 23 September, and (2) place a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.
[HL8436]
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon – We consult and exchange correspondence with a wide range of international organisations, including the World Health Organisation, on the basis of confidentiality. In order to maintain working relationships with these organisations, we do not publish such correspondence.
