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Business of the House

I am surprised that the right hon. Gentleman raises the issue in that way. He is usually rather more fair-minded about the approach that he takes to these issues. He will know that it is a long-standing aspect of the Osmotherley rules governing who may appear before Select Committees that it is a matter for the Minister in question—I am sure that the right hon. Gentleman was in this position at some stage in the past—to decide whether any particular civil servant will or will not represent him before a Select Committee. That has been part of the rules since they were first drafted, and that remains precisely the position.