§ Mr. Michael Howard (Folkestone and Hythe)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. May I ask whether you have had any intimation from the Foreign Secretary, or from another Foreign Office Minister, that either intends to make a statement at the Dispatch Box about the Foreign Affairs Committee's report on Sierra Leone? As you may know, Madam Speaker, the report is very damning of both the Foreign Secretary and the Foreign Office. May we expect to hear from the Foreign Secretary at the Dispatch Box soon?
§ Madam SpeakerMr. Alan Clark.
§ Mr. Alan Clark (Kensington and Chelsea)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. What is the House of Commons to do when the Foreign Secretary, whose principal official has been heavily criticised in the report, remains mute, while the Prime Minister prefers to appear on a chat show and rebut the whole report, because he is frightened—as he always is—of coming to this place and accounting for his actions and those of his Government?
§ Madam SpeakerThere is no point of order there for me to answer. I cannot, of course, refuse to take points of order, but they must be genuine points of order to which I can respond.
§ Mr. Eric Forth (Bromley and Chislehurst)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. Can you help us by giving us some guidance on how the House can respond promptly and effectively to a report that is so clear, so damning and so sensational? Surely the House must take a lead in responding, to ensure that there is proper accountability when one of our most senior Select Committees has produced a document that is beyond doubt and beyond argument.
§ Mr. Menzies Campbell (North-East Fife)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. Is not the case for a statement on the report doubly underlined by the trenchant terms of the criticism in it, and by the fact that the House should have an opportunity to learn the extent to which the Foreign Office has responded to the criticisms made by Sir Richard Scott, which were equally damning of the last Government and their misleading of the House of Commons?
§ Mr. Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. You safeguard the interests of the House and of Back Benchers. I ask you whether it is appropriate, after the publication of such a damning report, for the Prime Minister of this country to see fit to appear on a chat show—the Jimmy Young show, I believe—to rebut its findings, without doing either you or the House the courtesy of coming here first to make a statement.
§ Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)On a point of order, Madam Speaker.
§ Madam SpeakerDoes it refer to the original point of order?
§ Mr. SkinnerYes, Madam Speaker. I just want to put the balance right. [Interruption.] I can handle five Tories any day of the week.
In respect of the point of order that you were not very clear about, Madam Speaker—and I agree with you—let me remind you of something. If you refer to Hansard of a few months ago, when the issue first arose, you will see that I declared then that some high-falutin' Foreign Office official was at the centre of the controversy. It has taken this tinpot Select Committee God knows how many months to find out what I told the House last year.
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I cannot go on taking points of order. I think I have the feeling of some Members.
First, as hon. Members know, comments that the Prime Minister makes outside the House are not a matter for me. Secondly, I was asked whether we could debate, promptly and effectively, an issue that is concerning a number of Members. As I do not determine the business of the House, that can only be arranged through the usual channels, and Members who are anxious for the matter to be debated should adopt that approach.
The right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) made his point succinctly. He is keen for a statement to be made, and I understand that. I cannot force any Minister to make a statement on this or any other matter, but those on the Government Front Bench 126 will no doubt have heard the right hon. and learned Gentleman's views and those of Back Benchers, and will report accordingly.
§ Mr. David Wilshire (Spelthorne)On a different point of order, Madam Speaker. I wish to raise the issue of what appears to have been a leak of a confidential parliamentary document.
At 10 am today, the Foreign Affairs Committee published its report. It decided, as a matter of courtesy, to release it two hours early, covered by an embargo. The report was released to the media, and to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, at 8 am. At 7 am the "Today" programme was reporting Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesmen and the Foreign Secretary as dismissing the contents of the report. Surely it follows that, to dismiss the report, they must have read it. They must therefore have had a leaked document before it was released under embargo. What are the arrangements for investigating what appears to be a serious breach of parliamentary rules?
§ Madam SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman began his point of order by referring to what appears to be a leak of a parliamentary document. It was certainly a discourtesy if an embargo was broken. It is a matter for the Committee. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will take it up with the Committee and the Committee Chairman, and follow it through that way.