§ 2.44 p.m.
§ Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ Whether they have received a letter from Lord Melchett, Director of Greenpeace UK, resisting the conclusion of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, on 5th February (H.L. Deb., col. 2) that "part of Greenpeace's mission is to mislead"; and, if so, whether they will place a copy of Lord Melchett's letter in the Library of the House.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Fraser of Carmyllie)My Lords, I confirm that I received a letter from the noble Lord, Lord Melchett, to which I replied on 2nd April. It is not for me to place copies of correspondence initiated by a Member of your Lordships' House in the Library of the House. However, I have copied my reply to those noble Lords who spoke on this issue on 5th February to whom the noble Lord, Lord Melchett, sent copies of his letters to me.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, the Minister must be aware that Lord Melchett has taken leave of absence from the House and is therefore legitimately absent. In those circumstances and since the noble Lord with whom the Minister has been in correspondence is not in a position to speak in this House himself, will the noble and learned Lord revise his opinion and agree that, in the light of that fact, it is desirable that the whole of the correspondence should be made available to your Lordships?
§ Lord Fraser of CarmyllieMy Lords, in the course of the last exchange on this matter I referred to a report in the observer, at the end of which I concluded that that report was so inaccurate that it amounted to a "mission to mislead". I have already asked Lord Melchett if he would like to point out to me any respects in which the report in the Observer did not bear out the briefing and the press release provided to it by Greenpeace. Although he may have taken leave of absence from this House, he has had ample opportunity to write to me, but he has failed to offer any answer. If he thinks that I shall retreat from my declaration of a "mission to mislead", I can confirm that, having looked 436 at the matter further, the indication that I gave was perhaps less than I should have done because the press release is headed with the assertion:
Magistrate raises doubt about legality of BNFL's Sellafield plant".If anyone had cared to read the full text of that report, which I arranged to be placed in the Library of the House, they would have found the simple statement that BNFL was prima facie operating lawfully at the Sellafield plant.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, if your Lordships will permit me—
Lord Campbell of CroyMy Lords, does my noble and learned friend agree that Greenpeace has certainly succeeded in misleading—whether or not that was part of its mission—as in the case of "Brent Spar" and particularly its incorrect public statements about residues in "Brent Spar" at the end of its life as a storage buoy?
§ Lord Fraser of CarmyllieMy Lords, I believe that we have had an exchange on this matter previously. I recollect that some weeks after having made some extraordinary statements Greenpeace on that occasion at least had the good grace to offer up something of a sotto voce apology. I regret that on this occasion we have had no apology, sotto voce or otherwise.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, is not the noble and learned Lord aware that it is he who should apologise? He has clearly not received a letter, a copy of which I received by hand today, from Lord Melchett, totally refuting the arguments which the noble and learned Lord has been putting forward here, and making it absolutely clear that any misleading that has been done in this matter has been done by the noble and learned Lord.
§ Lord Fraser of CarmyllieMy Lords, I hope that the noble Lord will reflect on those words. He might look to that letter. As he will know, because I sent a copy of the letter to him, I invited Lord Melchett to indicate the respects in which the Observer article—
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyWhat about this letter?
§ Lord Fraser of Carmyllie—inaccurately reported what had been provided by Greenpeace in terms of its press release and briefing. Lord Melchett has singularly failed to take the opportunity to do that.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords—
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, let me make just one more point. The noble and learned Lord will not allow noble Lords to read this letter in the Library.