There have been calls for a complete overhaul of the NDA system, and I agree with that. There is a perfectly valid role for NDA in protecting intellectual property rights. There is also a role in protecting other commercially sensitive material, for instance if a current contract is under review. They should have no role in covering up potentially criminal activity either by the company or individuals within it. Personally, I have no problem with Peter Hain, or any member of either House, using Parliamentary privilege in breaking an NDA set up for that apparent purpose. I would if, for example, he used it to breach an NDA that exposed commercial information.
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