§ Lord Jenkins of Putneyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will confirm the report in the Guardian newspaper of 24th June, page 13, which stated that Mr. Ridley, as Secretary of State for the Environment, asked Mr. Newton, the then Minister for Health, to silence complaints to his patients about NHS cuts by Mr. Guy, a surgeon at the Royal Worcester Infirmary, and whether they approve of Mr. Ridley's action.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Lord Skelmersdale)The responsibilities of Her Majesty's Government do not extend to the making of declarations about the terms in which Members of the House of Commons make representations in the interests of their constituents.