Budget Leak Inquiry Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Barry Gardiner

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Budget Leak Inquiry

Barry Gardiner Excerpts

Business of the House
Thursday 22nd March 2012

(12 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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I do not think that we can draw a conclusion that there has been a decline in the standards of journalism just from the fact that in 2005 the predictions of what was in the Budget were more consistently accurate than in 2012.

Barry Gardiner Portrait Barry Gardiner (Brent North) (Lab)
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Surely a leak is an unauthorised or inadvertent publication of restricted and confidential information. On that basis, this could not have been a leak, because it was clearly not inadvertent and it was clearly authorised. It was none the less in severe conflict with the ministerial code, and that surely is what the Prime Minister should investigate.

David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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I am not sure that there was a question there, but I thank the hon. Gentleman for his views. The Government clearly authorised some information to be put out in advance of the Budget. For example, there was a speech by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister makes speeches from time to time; I am not sure that people should be getting upset about that.

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