Given the claims made by Mr Mike Scrafton concerning our telephone discussions on the night of 7 November 2001 I asked the Defence Minister to arrange for Major General Powell (who conducted the parallel military inquiry to that of the Bryant inquiry) and his assistant Commander Noonan to be interviewed concerning their recollections of their discussions with Mr Scrafton in December 2001. Those interviews took place yesterday.
In the interests of transparency I am making the records of interview available to the public.
I also make available the written recollections of my three staff and the then head of the Cabinet Policy Unit, Mr Paul McClintock who were present at the Lodge with me that night.
The records of interview with Major General Powell and Commander Noonan do not alter the substance of this issue. They are not evidence of what Mr Scrafton said to me. They merely record what Mr Scrafton told others, some weeks later, of his conversations with me. I should also emphasise the point that my staff and Mr McClintock were with me on the night in question.
I continue to strongly dispute Mr Scrafton's recollections of his discussions with me.