Letter from Mr Stuart Benson to the Parliamentary
Commissioner for Standards
Thank you for your two letters of 12 March.
One of them raises four questions. Mr Al-Fayed's
replies are as follows:
(i) It is correct to say that there are
no private apartments at the Ritz hotel, nor have there been at
any time during Mr Al-Fayed's ownership. Accordingly, there was
never any question of Mr Hamilton being offered use of private
apartments at the Ritz either in 1987 or at all.
He did apparently make a request to stay
at one of the private apartments owned by Mr Al-Fayed elsewhere
in Paris in 1990. Mr Al-Fayed personally has no recollection whatsoever
of any such arrangement either having been requested or offered,
but entirely accepts that arrangements for a stay were made through
his Park Lane office. It would seem that a reservation was made
for Mr Hamilton at apartment No. 1 Arsene Houssai, Champs Elysee
for 4 nights commencing 5 July 1990. It appears from the records
available that he was due to arrive on Air France flight number
1417 arriving Paris at 20:15 hours.
However, the reservation was cancelled
and Mr Hamilton did not arrive.
No one I have been able to speak to during
the time available has any recollection as to why the reservation
was cancelled and, as I say, Mr Al-Fayed personally has no recollection
of the matter whatsoever.
As to Professor Barry Rider, his views
and comments appear to be based largely upon a briefing from
Messrs Denton Hall which in turn was based upon a debriefing by
them of Francesca Pollard. I am in some degree of personal difficulty
on this issue in that I know the Partner who was until very recently
Head of Denton Hall's Litigation Department and who I understand
was involved in the debriefing of Mrs Pollard following her reconciliation
with Mr Landy and Mr Rowland; I have some knowledge of the private
views which he formed on her mental state. If you see it as a
key issue to decide upon Mrs Pollard's role in this entire matter,
and the credibility of the information she gave to Mr Rowland
and to Denton Hall, please let me know as we would wish to address
you at some length. I would also want to make further enquiries
of former Partners of Denton Hall.
I also have a very lengthy transcript
of a conversation which took place, after the "reconciliation",
between Mrs Pollard's brother and Royston Webb, which will be
of relevance. I think you are also aware that, even during the
past few months, she has been in contact with Mr Macnamara apparently
offering information and assistance to Mr Al-Fayed. Mr Macnamara
merely referred her on to you, but I think the very fact that
she has apparently been in contact with every party to your various
enquiries offering assistance is indicative of the true worth
of her information and evidence.
In short, so far as Professor Barry Rider
is concerned, it may be that the views he has reached are based
largely on information received from Lonrho and Denton Hall which
in turn was based on statements made by Mrs Pollard. As such,
his views are not therefore well founded. It is undoubtedly true
that Mr Al-Fayed was critical of Professor Rider in relation to
his role within the DTI Select Committee. Indeed Mr Al-Fayed
expressed his concern about the very close relationship which
existed between Sir Edward du Cann (Chairman of Lonrho), Mr Kenneth
Warren (the Chairman of the Select Committee) and Professor Rider.
Those criticisms were made publicly and openly, and Mr Al-Fayed
categorically denies that he did anything untoward so far as Professor
Rider or the Select Committee are concerned. As you will know
from Professor Rider's letter, the Director of Public Prosecutions
took no action, following an investigation by the police, on the
basis that the allegations depended almost entirely on Mrs Pollard
uncorroborated evidence. That to my mind speaks volumes.
Turning finally to the further letter
you have received from Mr Betterman, I do not know whether you
have sent a copy of this to Alison Bozeck. Please let me know
if you want me to make contact with her. I am sure, however,
that her recollection remains unchanged. As to Mr Betterman's
credibility, you have already received information from Mr Macnamara
but if you see this as an issue of real importance I will ask
him to let me have any further information he may have. At present,
he is in Canada but is likely to return by the weekend.
(ii) See above. Mr Al-Fayed's son does
not have any apartment of his own in Paris. I notice that your
letter refers to a stay in June 1990, whereas both the message
book and such other records as exist point to a stay having been
arranged for July 1990. Is it suggested that another stay was
arranged, and took place, during June, and involved arrangements
with Mr Al-Fayed's son? His son is in fact in Canada at the present
time and I have not yet made contact with him. However, if you
would like me to do so, please let me know.
(iii) The Observer published extracts
from the DTI Inspectors' Report in March 1989. In March 1990,
the Report itself was published. Between those two dates, and
leaving aside any other issue or consideration, there was in
any event less need for, or value in, Parliamentary activity.
Although post-March 1990 Mr Al-Fayed has recollection of some
very limited on-going contact (he did for example write to Mr
Hamilton in 1992 to congratulate him on his appointment as Minister
for Corporate Affairs at the DTI) he has no recollection of further
meetings between the two of them post-March 1990.
I am not sure whether this is sufficient
to answer your question. You will appreciate that Mr Al-Fayed
is an extremely busy man and has not therefore had a great deal
of time since I received your letter to give thought to the question
you raise. If, however, there is any particular contact alleged
by Mr Hamilton which you would like me to raise with Mr Al-Fayed,
please let me know.
(iv) I apologise for not replying earlier
to the question raised in your letter of 27 February regarding
Mr Smith. Mr Al-Fayed has no recollection of making cash payments
to Mr Smith much earlier than around the time of the General
Election, and he therefore accepts your assumption as being correct.
I turn next to your other letter of 12 March
enclosing letters from Messrs Betterman and Land, and Professor
Barry Rider.
As far as Mr Land is concerned, I am not sure
whether you have sent a copy of his letter direct to Mr Webb.
In any event I have now done so although I know that Mr Webb
is abroad in Spain returning at the end of this week. I have
asked him to write to you direct with any comments he may have.
More generally, I understand from our conversation
this morning that you are now intending to finalise your Report
by the end of next week. I will arrange to let you have by the
end of this week any further and final comments from Mr Al-Fayed
and if, in turn, there are any other remaining issues that you
want to raise with Mr Al-Fayed, please let me know.
19 March 1997
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