Examination of Witness (Question Number
1160-1167)
DR MALCOLM
JACK
24 FEBRUARY 2010
Q1160 Ann Coffey: What exactly do
you accept?
Dr Jack: I accept that originally
I thought I was watching Sky News; it is possible that I was not.
I think I have made that clear in the letter.
Q1161 Ann Coffey: It is also possible
that you might have got a telephone call?
Dr Jack: Yes, it is possible,
but I cannot recollect from what source because I do not recollect
any conversations, although Sir Malcolm has suggested an email
which I did not think of.
Sir Malcolm Rifkind: You suggested earlier
that if you had been told it must have been either from the Serjeant
at Arms or the Speaker and you had not met either of them, but
in fact we know from the evidence that by two o'clock in the afternoon
a very large number of people were aware that an MP had been arrested
and we know that his office was being searched at 2.10 when Andrew
Mackay was in his office. What I find extraordinary is it may
have taken five hours for the media to find out. It sounds even
more improbable given that a lot of MPs would have had an interest
in telling the media what was happening. I am puzzled why the
evidence suggests the media did not report this until after seven
o'clock. What on earth was happening in-between?
Chairman: If you think, you had the Channel
4 News, news at six, news at 6.30 on ITN, rolling news, Sky and
the BBC.
Sir Malcolm Rifkind: If the Leadership
of the Conservative Party knew one of the Shadow Ministers had
been arrested, the idea that he would not mention this to the
media who would not then report it is inconceivable.
Q1162 Mr Henderson: Dr Jack, can
you remember if you took any significant telephone calls in the
two or three hours before 2.30?
Dr Jack: No, I simply cannot.
Relating to this matter?
Q1163 Mr Henderson: Did you take
any significant phone calls?
Dr Jack: I would have taken probably
a lot of calls, I always have a lot of calls.
Q1164 Mr Henderson: Did you take
any telephone calls from politicians or from political offices?
Dr Jack: I cannot remember doing
so, no, I cannot.
Q1165 Mr Henderson: From the police?
Dr Jack: Not from the police,
no. I had no contact at all with the police during this entire
episode.
Q1166 Chairman: Unless any other
colleagues have got questions I think we may have gone as far
with this as we can.
Dr Jack: I am sorry, Chairman,
that I cannot be more helpful to the Committee. I really would
have preferred to settle this matter because I sense the Committee
does not feel it is settled.
Q1167 Chairman: Is there anything
else you would like to add?
Dr Jack: No, I do not think so,
Chairman, thank you very much.
Chairman: Once again, thank you very
much.
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