Points of Order

Julian Lewis Excerpts

Monday 19th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con)]

Further to the previous points of order—

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

Further to the previous almost points of order, I give the right hon. Gentleman the benefit of the doubt that this might be a point of order.

[Dr Lewis]

I think that this one might actually be a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Although the Defence Committee has not withdrawn from the Committees on Arms Export Controls, I am aware of the serious concern that was caused by the leak of a draft report that those Committees had drawn up. Do you agree that it is of absolute importance that if Select Committees, or quadripartite composite Committees like this, are to function, there must be no question of draft reports being leaked for political purposes, as happened in this case?

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

That may or may not be a point of order in relation to order in the Chamber, but it is a point about which Mr Speaker will be extremely concerned, and we should all be extremely concerned, because the leaking of reports undermines the work of the Committees who are working hard on them. It is not honourable behaviour becoming of hon. Members of this House to leak reports.