§ Mr. SpeakerI have a ruling to give on a matter of privilege. Yesterday the hon. Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton) made a complaint of privilege arising out of a sentence included in a reply given in evidence before the Departmental Committee on Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act, 1911—the Franks Committee.
I have studied the passage referred to, together with the remainder of the reply, the question to which it related and the earlier questions and answers which led to that reply.
My duty, as the House is aware, is only to rule whether in my view the hon. Member's complaint should be given precedence as a matter of privilege over today's business. In my opinion, after taking into account the context in which the passage occurs, I do not think that the matter can be given that priority.