§ Mr. William HamiltonOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I think this is an appropriate moment for me to raise my point of order arising from the supplementary question on Question 37 put by the hon. Member for Peterborough (Sir Harmar Nicholls), who now appears to be asleep. He cast aspersions on my activities in recent weeks in connection with the Poulson affair.
I want to make it clear that no one in the House, least of all myself, would make aspersions on the integrity of our Civil Service, and I have never done so. I received an anonymous letter about the Ninewells Hospital, and I ascertained that the facts contained in that letter were accurate. I accordingly disclosed the contents of the letter to the Press, and I sent the letter to the Leader of the House asking for the matter to be investigated. I received a letter from him, dated 14th July, saying that the matter would be investigated. I have nothing to apologise for in the course I took.
§ Sir Harmar NichollsFurther to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I did cast aspersions on the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question, aspersions which are well deserved. If he had that knowledge from an anonymous letter he should have awaited the Minister's reply before making it public.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. This is not a matter on which the Standing Orders of the House bear.