Minister admits he knew questions before hearing that committee would ask'

SELECT COMMITTEES

THE GOVERNMENT faced renewed claims that it was abusing Parliament yesterday after Peter Kilfoyle, the Public Services minister, admitted he had been told of the "likely questions" he would face at a Commons committee hearing. Mr Kilfoyle said it had been "a common but not universal practice over a long period for committees to indicate the broad areas they intend to cover".

The disclosure will infuriate MPs already angry that Gordon Brown's parliamentary aide and Robin Cook, the Foreign Secretary, were leaked Select Committee reports.

Mr Kilfoyle said in a Commons written reply: "I was informed of likely questions in advance of the European Scrutiny Committee hearing on December 2."

Also, Mr Brown was criticised by MPs after he refused to answer further questions on the leak of a Select Committee report. Iain Duncan Smith, the Conservatives' spokesman on Social Security affairs, complained to the Speaker, Betty Boothroyd, that the Chancellor had failed to follow the ministerial code which requested that ministers should be as truthful, accurate and open as possible.

Mr Brown revealed last week that his parliamentary aide was given a copy of the Social Security Select Committee report, before its publication, by an unidentified source.

The report, which had called for taxation of child benefit, was watered down by Labour MPs before it was published. Critics claimed this happened to avoid embarrassing the Government.

Mr Duncan Smith said the Chancellor had failed to answer further questions regarding the possible involvement of his advisers and officials in the affair. "In other words, he frankly refused to answer the question. It is of paramount importance that ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament," he said and added: "Is the Chancellor not therefore abusing the House and the public whom Parliament serves by refusing this question?"

Miss Boothroyd made clear that MPs, in general, were "entitled to expect that all ministers will comply with the resolution on ministerial accountability".