§ 4.2 pm
§ Mr. Clive Soley (Hammersmith)With your permission, Madam Speaker, I should like to make a short statement. Following the successful defence by The Guardian of a libel action relating to malice in reporting a story about Conservative party funding, I am happy to be able to put the record straight in respect of an intervention that I made on the Floor of the House on 22 June 1993.
On that occasion, I read from a letter sent to me by an Arab whom I had known for many years and who related in his letter an alleged conversation between the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Prince Bandar. On the same day, The Guardian had reported that allegation as it tended to confirm other reports that had emanated from an entirely different source. Like The Guardian, I fell that this was an important matter that deserved examination. As far as I am aware, no dishonesty was involved by any party, including none by myself. I was reading from a letter written by someone whom I believed to be acting in good faith, and I was not lying.
I was, however, wrong to name the Secretary of State for two reasons. First, he had just suffered a serious heart attack. Secondly, he could not speak for himself. At that time, I believed that it was the responsibility of the Tory party to respond as the allegation was that money was being paid to the Tory party.
I would therefore like to take this opportunity to apologise to the Secretary of State and his family for my insensitivity in relation to his illness at that time arid to put it on record that, although I know the allegations to have been made in good faith, I am now satisfied that neither the Secretary of State nor Prince Bandar was involved in such a conversation. I am also happy to extend my apologies to Prince Bandar.
§ Sir Norman Fowler (Sutton Coldfield)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Obviously, it would be wrong to seek to ask questions on a personal statement—[Interruption.]
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I remind the right hon. Gentleman and the House that we make no comments following a personal statement. It is received by the House in silence and we then move on to the next business. 'That has been the custom and practice of the House for many years and I intend to uphold that custom and practice.