§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Mr. Niall MacDermot)In winding up the debate on 29th January on the growth of the bureaucracy, I referred to an assertion that the right hon. Gentleman, the Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Mr. Boyd-Carpenter) had made in a previous debate that there could be saving of up to £75 million in capital expenditure by the abolition of the Land Commission. In my reply I said
As a former Chief Secretary he ought to to know better than that, and I think he does. It is a phoney figure ".—[OFICIAL REPORT, 29th January, 1968; Vol. 757, c. 1015.]I then gave the reasons why I thought the figure was misleading.The right hon. Gentleman has asked me to retract what I said. In so far as my words suggest that he knowingly misled the House, I gladly do so. I have apologised to the right hon. Gentleman for not giving him prior notice that I would refer to him in the debate.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI thank the hon. and learned Member for that courteous apology and withdrawal, which of course I have the greatest pleasure in accepting.