§ 14. Mr. HainTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the findings of the Scott report relating to his Department. [17272]
§ Mr. RifkindImprovements in a number of areas identified in Sir Richard Scott's report are already in place or are under active consideration by Ministers and officials.
§ Mr. HainDespite the damaging criticisms on page after page of the Scott report to the effect that Ministers, including the Chief Secretary to the Treasury—who was 340 then a Foreign Office Minister—deliberately and designedly misled Parliament, why has no one in this arrogant Government even bothered to apologise?
§ Mr. RifkindThe hon. Gentleman might at least have had the courtesy to read the report before making such comments. He suggests that my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary deliberately misled the House; Lord Justice Scott explicitly exempts my right hon. Friend from such a charge.