Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 5 Rhagfyr 1973.
Mr John Peyton
, Yeovil
12:00,
5 Rhagfyr 1973
The right hon. Gentleman is—I am sure not willingly or intentionally—misleading the House, and is perhaps tying himself into knots. There is nothing sinister about this. As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State has pointed out, the normal planning procedures will be followed if there is a public inquiry. To say that the Secretary of State is judge and jury in his own case is wrong.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.