§ 4.6 pm
§ Mr. Michael Howard (Folkestone and Hythe)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. On Tuesday, the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), told the Foreign Affairs Select Committee that he first knew of the Customs and Excise inquiry into arms sales to Sierra Leone on Friday 1 May. Yesterday, the Foreign Secretary told the House that the Minister of State first knew of the investigations in mid-April. "A code of conduct and guidance on procedures for Ministers" states:
It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity. Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the Prime Minister".The Minister of State has, to my knowledge, done none of those things. I do not know whether you have been given any indication that he intends to do so, or whether in some other way the code's integrity and the rights of Parliament can be protected. I should be most grateful for your guidance on this matter.
§ Madam SpeakerNo. I can deal with this, thank you very much indeed.
If the Minister believes that he has inadvertently and significantly misled the Committee, the House will of course expect him to correct the situation. However, it is a matter between the Minister and the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. That is the crucial point. Hon. Members were trying to be very helpful on that point of order, but I do not think that it was necessary.
§ Mr. Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I was going to make the very point that you made. It is—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I do not need any endorsement, thank you.