Contempt For Parliament And Sir Robin Butler

EDM number 601 in 1993-94, proposed by Llew Smith on 11/02/1994.

That this House is disappointed and disturbed by the dismissive contempt shown towards Parliament by the head of the Home Civil Service, Sir Robin Butler, in his evidence before the Scott Inquiry on 9th February; is outraged by the view expressed by Sir Robin Butler that 'half an answer could be accurate when replying to Parliamentary Questions'; believes such an attitude from the top sets an appalling example to more junior civil servants in their job of drafting replies to parliamentary questions on behalf of Ministers; further believes Sir Robin's attack on the media coverage of Lord Justice Scott's inquiry into the degree of Government complicity and ministerial knowledge of United Kingdom military assistance to the Iraqi dictatorship is unfounded; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to undo so far as it is in its power the damage that has been unfairly done to the system of Parliament and to the role and rights of honourable Members by Sir Robin Butler's testimony at the Scott Inquiry.

This motion has been signed by a total of 61 MPs.