§ Sir Anthony Meyer (Clwyd, North-West)Mr. Speaker, I wish to make a personal statement.
There have recently been reports in the press and on television based on a letter written by me to the Chairman of Ways and Means in which I made comments about the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Coleman) in his capacity as Chairman of the Welsh Grand Committee. That letter was not made public by me, but the views expressed in it have passed into the public domain.
I recognise that it is not appropriate for me, as a fellow member of the Chairmen's Panel, to be associated with the comments that have become public, and I also recognise that what I said in connection with the incident which provoked my letter was based on a misunderstanding. In these circumstances, I wish to withdraw any reflection upon the chairmanship of the hon. Member for Neath, and to apologise to him unreservedly for the embarassment caused to him by this incident.