Leveson Inquiry

Nadhim Zahawi Excerpts

Wednesday 25th April 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

Let me tell the right hon. Gentleman that anyone who is responsible for any sector, be it the aerospace sector, the chemicals sector or the automobile sector, has to talk to all the people involved in that industry. It is my job to talk to the BBC, to ITV, to Sky and to newspaper proprietors, because I want that industry to be successful. This bid did have some implications for media policy, so it was perfectly proper for me to be apprised of those. What was not right was for me to be involved in the decision-making process, and I was not while it was the responsibility of the Business Secretary.

[Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon) (Con)]

Does the Secretary of State recognise the conversations attributed to him by Fred Michel?

[Mr Hunt]

I do not. Throughout the bid process, when I got responsibility for it, the contact that I had with Fred Michel was only at official meetings that were minuted with other people present. The fact is that there is a whole pile of e-mails—54 in total—in which he talks about having contact with me, but that simply did not happen.

--- Later in debate ---

[Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Lab)]

The Secretary of State has had three opportunities—

[Nadhim Zahawi]

Get your hand out of your pocket!

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The trouble with the hon. Gentleman is that he is as excitable as he is good-natured. He is a very amiable fellow, but we do not need the hon. Gentleman’s advice on decorum. He should calm himself and take whatever tablets are required for the purpose.