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


Annex 10

E-mail from the Shadow Leader of the House to the Clerk of the House of Commons

  Following our various conversations and written exchanges, it is clear from them and from references made by the MPS and the DPP in their correspondence with Damian Green's solicitors that your letters to the MPS and DPP have persuaded them that the House of Commons (as distinct from you) has no intention of addressing the matter of Privilege at this stage. They have therefore concluded that they are fully entitled to open the bundles of documents they took from Mr Green's residences and Commons office, and have resolved to wait no longer.

You are aware that I have been concerned from the outset that the precise parliamentary language you have used in your correspondence has allowed those who understand Parliament less well to infer that Parliament might deliberately be choosing not to address the matter of Privilege. This may be the.wish of some of the people involved.

  I fully appreciate that Mr Speaker has no role in this matter other than to accelerate the consideration of a motion to refer a matter to the Committee of Standards & Privileges in the event of a complaint. The issue here, therefore, and its handling, rests exclusively with you.

  We have spoken often, and in detail, and you have explained how your involvement in issues of Privilege happens quite often. You are also the principal officer of the House who is there to serve the interests of each of us and offer us guidance when so requested.

  In light of the above, I would therefore appreciate seeing all the correspondence between you and both the MPS and the DPP as it concerns the broader interests of Members, all of whom are surely entitled to know what action is being taken in their name. That any of this should remain undisclosed is beginning to look highly unsatisfactory.

  I should therefore be much obliged if you could send me a copy of all the relevant correspondence outlined above.

Alan Duncan MP

30 March 2009



 
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