§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Prime Minister when he and the law officers approved the threat of legal action in a letter on behalf of the Paymaster General to newspapers. [22586]
§ The Prime MinisterThe main purpose of the letters sent to theSunday Times and The Observer on 8 December on behalf of the Paymaster General was to set the facts straight following the publication the previous day of inaccurate and misleading reports. Neither I nor the Law Officers approved these letters before they 255W were sent. However, the Law Officers were consulted subsequently on the issues relating to possible future legal proceedings.