Thank you for your letter of 20 October in reply to mine of 14 October.

I shall of course, check again with the House's Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) what advice they gave you on these matters. On the basis of the information they have given me so far, however, I understand the line I took in my letter to be consistent with the guidance about newsletters they issued to all Members (most recently in January 2003).

If there is any doubt on these matters it is surely best if it is resolved so that Members, staff and the public know what the rules are. With this in mind, I think the appropriate course is for me to report to the Committee on Standards and Privileges about Mr Clayton's complaint which will allow the Committee to clarify the position. I therefore intend to prepare a draft of the factual sections of my report which, in accordance with the agreed procedure, I will share with you before finalising my conclusions. I will also let you know at that point what, if any, further comment the DFA wishes to offer in the light of your latest letter.

27 October 2004