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Al-Yamamah Arms Agreement

The hon. Gentleman raises an important point. This is one of the reasons why this matter should be debated. I fully accept that that is a legitimate issue to raise. It is, however, possible to embark on an investigation without being clear about the full facts, and for those facts to emerge only during the course of the investigation. That is not unusual. Heaven knows, I have been involved often enough in prosecuting—and sometimes defending—individuals when the penny has dropped only on the first day of the trial that there is no case against the individual concerned. Indeed, I can think of one case—in which I was counsel for the defence—in which the prosecution ended up with egg all over its face because it was only at the close of the prosecution case that the penny dropped that there was no case against the defendant. A great deal of public money had been incurred by that stage.