Written question asked by Lord Laird (Ulster Unionist Party), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Taylor of Holbeach (Conservative) on Tuesday, 1 March 2011.

Abdelbaset al-Megrahi

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make public the letter from the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) mentioned in the Cabinet Secretary's Review of papers relating to the release of Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi which said medical tests had revealed Al-Megrahi had terminal prostate cancer and that ““his fellow prisoners have commented on his significant decline in the past””; what was the date of that letter; what the ““commitment to a full read-out from the UK”” provided to the SPS chief executive consisted of; and what documentation the Chief Medical Officer of the SPS relayed to them on Al-Megrahi's prognosis.

Answer: The report and additional documents taken together with the extensive set of documentation already in the public domain provide as full and public an explanation of the circumstances surrounding the decision by the Scottish Government to release Mr Megrahi as possible. I refer the noble Lord to paragraphs 39, 40 and 44 of the Cabinet Secretary’s report which makes clear the reasons why some information is not being released.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 6855; 725 c287WA
Session: 2010-12
Related items: Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
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House of Lords; Abdul Baset Al Megrahi
Friday, 1 April 2011
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House of Lords
Subjects: Disclosure of information Bombings Prisoners' release Lockerbie Prostate cancer Libya Scottish Prison Service al Megrahi, Abdelbasit Ali Mohmed
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk