HL Deb 10 March 2005 vol 670 cc86-7WA
Baroness Hanham

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, following the advice the Attorney-General gave to the Government on the legality of war against Iraq on 28 February 2003, he received any comments or representations from (a) the Prime Minister; (b) the Prime Minister's office; (c) the Prime Minister's foreign policy adviser; (d) the Prime Minister's Director of Government Relations; or (e) the Lord Chancellor, about the content of that advice; and, if so, whether the Attorney-General modified his advice in any way following such representations. [HL1500]

Lord Goldsmith

After I had communicated my view of the legal position at a meeting at the end of February 2003, no representations were made to me by the Prime Minister, his foreign policy adviser, his Director of Government Relations, members of his office, or anyone else, about the content of my legal advice. The advice I gave was my own genuinely held and independent view.

It has been drawn to my attention that there is a minor error in the information provided by my office to the Butler review of intelligence on weapons of mass destruction. The meeting referred to in paragraph 378 of the Butler report took place on 27, not 28, February 2003.