Iraq Inquiry

Part of Opposition Day — [8th Allotted Day] – in the House of Commons at 5:09 pm on 25 March 2008.

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Photo of Lynne Jones Lynne Jones Labour, Birmingham, Selly Oak 5:09, 25 March 2008

My right hon. Friend mentions the Butler committee's inquiry, but how can the House have confidence in that inquiry, or indeed that of the Intelligence and Security Committee, when one member of both committees—a former Member of the House, Ann Taylor—was involved in the preparation of the dossier? We know that from an e-mail to Jonathan Powell, among others, that begins:

"Ann Taylor read the draft dossier this morning and passed on some detailed comments to John Scarlett. She has just rung me to underline the following points."

There then follow various points. A Member of the House was involved in drawing up the dossier, was then appointed a member of the Butler committee, and was Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee; how can we have confidence in those procedures?