Leveson Inquiry

Robert Flello Excerpts

Wednesday 25th April 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

That is absolutely right, which is why I am looking forward to giving my full evidence to the Leveson inquiry, so that I can set the record straight on a number of points.

[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.

[Robert Flello]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Secretary of State has had three opportunities to answer the question about why Adam Smith was appointed to be the lead contact. Let me give him a fourth opportunity to stand up and give some information to the House, unlike last year, when he was supposed to release documents to the House.

[Mr Hunt]

All the roles in that process were agreed by the permanent secretary. I do not know what greater level of independence the hon. Gentleman wants for that decision, but let me tell him that we could not have been more transparent and more determined to make sure that the whole process was fair. We know from what happened yesterday that everything did not go right in the process. That is why, unfortunately, Adam Smith has chosen to resign—because some of his contacts were inappropriate. But the crucial question is whether any of that communication affected my decision, and it did not.