The Office of the Prime Minister said this evening that the government's contract with Henley and Partners on the Individual Investor Programme would be published in due time after a formal request by the Public Accounts Committee when the time for its debate came and with reserve for its commercial aspects.

The OPM was reacting to a ruling by the Speaker earlier today. It noted that in his ruling, the Speaker said that it was the Public Accounts Committee, not an individual MP, who could ask for publication of the contract

It said the prime minister had already committed to scrutiny of the contract.

The opposition, it added, was continuing to try to obstruct the programme despite the government's agreement with the EU about it. Furthermore, a Nationalist MP who was also a candidate in the European elections had a direct interest

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