Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2018 to Question 133851, and with reference to the statement in the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre document dated 11 January 2012, published by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee on 28 March 2018, that SCL were cleared to routine access of UK secret information, whether (a) Cambridge Analytica and (b) SCL Group Limited or as formerly named Strategic Communication Laboratories Limited have, since 2010, had access to UK or international partners’ information classified as confidential or above; and if he will make a statement.

Cambridge Analytica has never been cleared to hold confidential information.

SCL Group's UK facility was cleared to hold confidential information between 2008 and 2013. The clearance was sought on behalf of an international government and there was no UK involvement in the work. Since then, the company has not been permitted to hold either UK or international partners' information, at confidential or above, at any of its UK facilities.