Hague: call for investigation

Hague Demands Budget "Leak" Inquiry

Journalists had told the Opposition that the Treasury had confirmed that the Budget would include the abolition of tax relief on private medical care for people aged over 60.

Mr Hague made his demand during Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons. It was rejected by the PM, Tony Blair.

Blair: "We stick to our promises"

All that had happened, he said, was that officials had confirmed that what Labour had said it would do before the election, it would indeed do.

"This may be a novel proposition for the Conservative Party, but it is not for us," he said, to cheers from backbench MPs.

"At least with this Government, we didn't have the whole of the Budget leaked," Mr Blair said - a reference to the obtaining by the Daily Mirror of details of the November '96 Conservative Budget.

Mr Hague continued to press for an investigation. Mr Blair repeated his intention to carry out manifesto promises - such as cutting VAT on fuel.

Following Question Time, the Shadow Chancellor, Peter Lilley, made a formal demand for an investigation into the release of information about the abolition of tax relief on medical insurance - and about a report in the Financial Timesthat tax credits on share dividends would also be abolished.

Mr Lilley said both matters were price-sensitive. He asked the Leader of the House, Ann Taylor, whether she could confirm that there had been share price movements as a result of the disclosures.

Like the Prime Minister, Mrs Taylor dismissed the call. He must learn to tell the difference between speculation and disclosure, she said.

Miss Boothroyd was faced with 10 points of order over who was allowed to sit where in the chamber.

Some 40 MPs queued through the night, from just after 3am, to claim prayer cards when the Chamber was opened at 8am. The card, when inserted in a slot at the back of the seat, reserves it for the entire Parliamentary day.

Boothroyd: ticked off MPs

Boothroyd tells off MPs

Andrew Stunell, Liberal Democrat MP for Hazel Grove, said "Our basic message is that we will take our tanks off their lawn if they will remove the turnips from ours."

But, after 15 minutes of bickering on the issue, the speaker said, "I have never known such grown up people behave in such a crass, childish manner. I think it is time that Members of this House grew up."

Miss Boothroyd faced a barrage of questions from Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, who repeatedly asked her to adjudicate on their squabble which is thought to have been sparked by Tories taking seats on benches in the Commons where minor parties usually sit.