House
of Representatives Practice (5th Edition) excerpt from Chapter 19:
Deliberately misleading the House
May states:
The Commons may treat
the making of a deliberately misleading statement as a contempt. In 1963 the
House resolved that in making a personal statement which contained words which
he later admitted not to be true, a former Member had been guilty of a grave contempt.127 (Profumo’s Case, CJ (1962–63) 246)
The
circumstances surrounding the decision of the House of Commons in Profumo’s Case are of importance
because of the guidance provided in cases of alleged misrepresentation by
Members. Mr Profumo had sought the opportunity of making a personal statement
to the House of Commons to deny the truth of allegations currently being made
against him. Later he was forced to admit that in making his personal statement
of denial to the House, he had deliberately misled the House. As a consequence
of his actions, he resigned from the House which subsequently agreed to a
resolution declaring him guilty of a grave contempt.....
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