§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will issue a statement on the acknowledgment by the Civil Service Appeal Board that it was approached by Ministry of Defence representatives over the Colin Wallace affair.
§ Mr. RentonThat private communications took place between representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the chairman of the hearing before Mr. Wallace's appeal to the Civil Service Appeal Board is not in dispute. The Government accept that the communications should not have occurred; and the present chairman of the Civil Service Appeal Board has confirmed that it is not the board's practice to engage in private discussions with Departments in advance of an appeal hearing about matters which may be material to the outcome of the appeal and that it would refuse to entertain any request to engage in such discussions.