APPENDIX 2
Letter to Mr Don Touhig MP, Parliamentary
Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, from Mr Archy Kirkwood MP,
Chairman of the Social Security Committee
In reply to parliamentary questions about leaks of
select committee Reports, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has
stated that "a preliminary draft of a report was given to
my Parliamentary Private Secretary but not the final report"
(16 March cols 641-2w).
In accordance with the procedure set out at page
670 of Erskine May, the Committee is investigating how it came
about that you were given a preliminary draft of a Report from
the Social Security Select Committee.
The first matter arising from the Chancellor's answer
on which you could help the Committee is which of our ten Reports
in this Parliament was the one of which you were given a preliminary
draft. It would greatly assist the Committee if you would now
return to the Clerk of the Committee the preliminary draft which
you received. If you can no longer obtain that preliminary draft,
then I would be grateful if you would confirm the subject of the
preliminary draft and the date on which you received it.
It would assist the Committee if you could let me
know in writing before our meeting at 10.30 am on Wednesday 24
March whether you know from whom you received that preliminary
draft, and whether a Member of the Committee or its staff was
responsible for it being given to you.
It would be helpful if you would let the Clerk of
the Committee have a copy of your reply.
18 March 1999
Reply to Mr Archy Kirkwood from Mr Don
Touhig MP
You wrote to me last week on behalf of the Social
Security Select Committee following a written parliamentary answer
by the Chancellor.
As I understand your letter, the committee is seeking
my comments on matters relating to a draft report that it considered
in February.
I am told that at the time members had expressed
concern because the Treasury had not responded positively to a
request to give evidence on the subject of the committee's inquiry,
namely the matter of child benefit.
I am led to believe that the committee, without anyone
expressing dissent, resolved that members should approach me and
ask if I could raise the matter in the Treasury.
Following representations from members of your committee,
I passed on their concerns.
I gather that at the same time you yourself requested
the Treasury to give evidence to the committee at its next session.
I believe that Treasury officials subsequently attended
the committee, gave evidence, and that you have now published
a report.
In your letter to me you asked about a copy of the
draft report. I confirm that I have a photocopy of it, which I
now pass on to you as requested.
As to the matter you raise in the penultimate paragraph
of your letter, I am afraid that I am unable to help you.
23 March 1999
Further letter to Mr Don Touhig MP from
Mr Archy Kirkwood MP
Thank you for your letter of 23 March and for the
photocopy of the draft report which you had received.
I asked you in my letter of 18 March if you could
tell me whether you know from whom you received the preliminary
draft, and whether a Member of the Committee or its staff was
responsible for it being given to you. You replied that you were
unable to help me in this matter.
I am now writing to ask whether you can confirm that
it was not any of the staff of the Committee who was responsible
for your being given a copy of the draft report.
It would be of assistance to the Committee if you
could let me know whether you received the draft report before
or after the Select Committee meeting which took place on the
morning of Wednesday 10 February.
I would be grateful if you could let me have a reply
in good time for the Committee to consider at its next private
meeting at 10.30 am on Wednesday 31 March.
24 March 1999
Reply to Mr Archy Kirkwood MP from Mr
Don Touhig MP
Thank you for your letter. I do not know whether
or not you were in the chamber on Wednesday, March 24 when the
Speaker, in answering a point of order, (Hansard Col 393) referred
to a letter she had received from the Chairman of the Select Committee
on Standards and Privileges.
She told the House that it had been placed in the
library.
I have obtained a copy for you and enclose it. I
am sure when you read it you will agree that I have acted in accordance
with the responsibilities it places on members.
30 March 1999
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