Written question asked by Neil Gerrard (Labour) on Wednesday, 25 February 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 1 March 2004. It was answered by Jack Straw (Labour) on Monday, 1 March 2004 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether staff at GCHQ complied with a request from the US National Security Agency to assist with a surveillance operation on members of the UN Security Council in January 2003; whether a memorandum was sent to GCHQ by the US National Security Agency asking for assistance in the surveillance of UN Security Council delegations.

Answer: Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether staff at GCHQ complied with a request from the US National Security Agency to assist with a surveillance operation on members of the UN Security Council in January 2003; [157402] (2) whether a memorandum was sent to GCHQ by the US National Security Agency asking for assistance in the surveillance of UN Security Council delegations. [157403] Mr. Straw: It is the well-established and longstanding practice of successive governments not to comment on details of the intelligence relationship between the UK and US.

Secondary information