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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