Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:28 pm on 28 November 2002.
In response to the absolutely outrageous comments that Mr Sheridan made, I want to make absolutely clear to the chamber what has been made clear in other places this week. On Sunday at lunch time, within hours of the publication of the newspaper in question, I made it absolutely clear that I unreservedly rejected the remarks and that, if they had been made, they should never have been made and would not be made by someone who is a minister in the Administration. On Tuesday, Dr Richard Simpson apologised in his letter to me.