Police Searches on the Parliamentary Estate - Committee on the Issue of Privilege Contents


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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