House of Commons Committee on issue of privilege relating to police searches on the Parliamentary Estate and internal processes of the House Administration for granting permission for such action
Formal Minutes
Session 2009–10
Committee on issue of privilege relating to police searches on the Parliamentary Estate and internal processes of the House Administration for granting permission for such action
The Committee was appointed by the House of Commons on 13 July 2009, following the search of a Member’s office in the Parliamentary Estate by the police and the seizure of material therein, to review the internal processes of the House Administration for granting permission for such action, to consider any matter relating to privilege arising from the police operation, and to make recommendations for the future.
Membership Sir Menzies Campbell MP (Liberal Democrat, North East Fife) (Chair) Sir Alan Beith MP (Liberal Democrat, Berwick-upon-Tweed) Mr David Blunkett MP (Labour, Sheffield, Brightside) Ann Coffey MP (Labour, Stockport) Mr Doug Henderson MP (Labour, Newcastle upon Tyne North) Ms Patricia Hewitt MP (Labour, Leicester West) Mr Michael Howard MP (Conservative, Folkestone & Hythe) Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP (Conservative, Kensington & Chelsea)
Powers The committee has power to send for persons, papers and records; to report from time to time; to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House and to appoint one specialist adviser either to supply information which is not readily available or to elucidate matters of complexity within the committee’s order of reference.
Publication This Report and the evidence reported by the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee are on the Internet at www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees-archive/policesearches.cfm.
Committee staff The staff of the Committee are Liam Laurence Smyth (Clerk of the Journals) and Chintan Makwana, (Committee Support Assistant).
Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Journals, Journal Office, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. The telephone number for general enquiries is 020 7219 3315; the Committee’s email address is: [email protected]
Proceedings of the Committee
Monday 23 November 2009
Members present: Sir Menzies Campbell, in the Chair Sir Alan Beith Mr Michael Howard Ann Coffey Sir Malcolm Rifkind
1. Oral evidence
The Committee considered lines of questioning to the police witnesses.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner John McDowall MBE, National Co-ordinator of Terrorist Investigations, and Chief Superintendent Ed Bateman, Head of Parliamentary Security, Metropolitan Police Service, gave oral evidence.
Mr Denis O'Connor CBE QPM, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Sir Ian Johnston CBE QPM DL, former Head of Association of Chief Police Officers Crime Business Area, and Assistant Commissioner John Yates QPM, Metropolitan Police Service, gave oral evidence.
2. Future programme
The Committee considered its future programme.
[Adjourned to Monday 7 December at a time to be fixed by the Chairman
Monday 7 December 2009
Members present: Sir Menzies Campbell, in the Chair Mr David Blunkett Mr Michael Howard Ann Coffey Sir Malcolm Rifkind Ms Patricia Hewitt
1. Oral evidence The Committee considered lines of questioning to Sir William McKay and to Ms Jill Pay.
Sir William McKay KCB, former Clerk of the House of Commons, gave oral evidence.
Ms Jill Pay, Serjeant at Arms, gave oral evidence.
[Adjourned to Wednesday 14 December at 4.00 pm
Monday 14 December 2009
Members present: Sir Menzies Campbell, in the Chair Sir Alan Beith Mr Doug Henderson Mr David Blunkett Ms Patricia Hewitt Ann Coffey Mr Michael Howard
1. Oral evidence
The Committee considered lines of questioning to the Cabinet Office and to Mr Quick.
Sir Gus O'Donnell KCB, Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Home Civil Service, and Mr Robert Hannigan, Head of Intelligence, Security and Resilience, Cabinet Office, gave oral evidence.
Mr Robert Quick QPM gave oral evidence.
[Adjourned to a time and date to be fixed by the Chairman
Monday 11 January 2010
Members present: Sir Alan Beith Ms Patricia Hewitt Mr David Blunkett Mr Michael Howard Ann Coffey Sir Malcolm Rifkind Mr Doug Henderson
In the absence of the Chairman, Michael Howard was called to the Chair for part of the meeting.
1. Heads of Report and future programme
The Committee considered Heads of Report and its future programme.
Sir Menzies Campbell resumed the Chair.
The Committee further considered Heads of Report and its future programme.
[Adjourned until Monday 18 January at 4.00 pm
Monday 18 January 2010
Members present: Sir Menzies Campbell, in the Chair Sir Alan Beith Mr Michael Howard Ann Coffey Sir Malcolm Rifkind 1. Written evidence
Ordered, That the written evidence PSPE 25, Lord Martin of Springburn comments on evidence of the Clerk of the House, paper be reported to the House for publication on the internet .
2. Oral evidence
The Committee considered lines of questioning to Dr Malcolm Jack and to Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick.
Dr Malcolm Jack, Clerk of the House and Chief Executive of the House of Commons, gave oral evidence.
Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick QPM, Metropolitan Police Service, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned until a date and time to be fixed by the Chairman
Wednesday 24 February 2010
Members present: Sir Menzies Campbell, in the Chair Sir Alan Beith Ms Patricia Hewitt Mr David Blunkett Mr Michael Howard Ann Coffey Sir Malcolm Rifkind Mr Doug Henderson
1. Oral evidence
The Committee considered lines of questioning to Dr Malcolm Jack.
Dr Malcolm Jack, Clerk of the House and Chief Executive of the House of Commons,, gave oral evidence.
2. Consideration of Chair’s draft Report
The Committee discussed informally the Chair’s draft Report.
[Adjourned to Wednesday 1 March at 4.00 pm
Monday 1 March 2010
Members present: Sir Menzies Campbell, in the Chair Sir Alan Beith Ms Patricia Hewitt Mr David Blunkett Mr Michael Howard Ann Coffey Sir Malcolm Rifkind Mr Doug Henderson
1. Written evidence
Ordered, That the following papers be reported to the House for publication on the internet — PSPE 27 Lord Martin of Springburn comments on evidence of the Serjeant at Arms PSPE 28 Professor A W Bradley PSPE 29 Jill Pay, Serjeant at Arms PSPE 31 Jacqy Sharpe PSPE 32 James Rhys
2. Consideration of Chair’s draft Report
The Committee discussed informally the Chair’s draft Report.
[Adjourned until Monday 15 March at 4.00 pm
Monday 15 March 2010
Members present: Sir Menzies Campbell, in the Chair Sir Alan Beith Ms Patricia Hewitt Mr David Blunkett Mr Michael Howard Ann Coffey Sir Malcolm Rifkind Mr Doug Henderson
1. Consideration of Chair’s draft Report
Draft Report, proposed by the Chair, brought up and read.
Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph.
Paragraphs 1 to 176 read and agreed to.
Summary agreed to.
Resolved, That the Report be the First Report of the Committee to the House.
Ordered, That the Chair make the Report to the House.
Ordered, That embargoed copies of the Report be made available, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. 134.
2. Written evidence
The following written evidence reported and ordered to be published on 12 October and 9 November in the last Session of Parliament and 14 December, 18 January and 1 March was ordered to be reported to the House for printing with the Report:
PSPE 01 Clerk of the House PSPE 02 Professor AW Bradley PSPE 03A Peter Bottomley MP PSPE 03B Sir Patrick Cormack MP PSPE 03C Derek Wyatt MP PSPE 03D John Hemming MP PSPE 09 Roger Gale MP PSPE 12 Ben Wallace MP PSPE 17 Metropolitan Police Service PSPE 19 Rt hon David Davis MP PSPE 25 Lord Martin of Springburn comments on evidence of the Clerk of The House PSPE 27 Lord Martin of Springburn comments on evidence of the Serjeant at Arms PSPE 28 Professor AW Bradley PSPE 29 Jill Pay, Serjeant at Arms
The following written evidence was ordered to be reported to the House for publication on the internet and for printing with the Report:
PSPE 33 Parliamentary Security Co-ordinator
[Adjourned sine die