HC Deb 18 March 1999 vol 327 cc711-2W
Mr. Peter Bottomley

To ask the Attorney-General when he was first notified of(a) the libel claim by Neil Hamilton and (b) the Court of Appeal hearing on appeal from the Queen's Bench Division; when he first responded to Mr. Hamilton's solicitors; when he decided to intervene in the case; when he first notified the House that he was intervening; and for what purpose. [77125]

The Solicitor-General

The Attorney-General was first notified that Mr. Neil Hamilton was pursuing a libel action against Mr. Al Fayed in a letter from Mr. Hamilton's solicitors dated 30 June 1998. A response was sent to Mr. Hamilton's solicitors on 7 July 1998 saying that the Attorney-General did not propose to be represented at the hearing. the Attorney-General was notified that the Court of Appeal had granted leave to Mr. Al Fayed to appeal against the decision of Mr. Justice Popplewell in a letter from Mr. Al Fayed' s Solicitors dated 24 November 1998.

Following consultations with the House Authorities, the Attorney-General decided to seek to intervene in the action in December 1998. A letter recording that decision was sent to the Clerk to the House on 7 December 1998.

The purpose of the Attorney-General intervening was to present submissions to the Court of Appeal as to parliamentary privilege, in furtherance of the interests of the House.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

To ask the Attorney-General if he will place in the Library the Solicitor General's skeleton argument and appendices used in the Hamiltonv Al Fayed case, together with a transcript of proceedings. [77126]

The Solicitor-General

I have arranged for a copy of my skeleton argument, together with its appendices, to be placed in the Library. It is important to note, however, that there were several modifications to the argument when presented orally. I have also placed in the Library a note prepared for the Court on the role of HM Attorney-General as intervenor in these proceedings. I am afraid that a transcript of the proceedings is not available and would take some weeks to prepare and approve. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment in the matter, but as soon as an approved version of the judgment is available I will arrange for that, too, to be placed in the Library.