Gilligan grilling may be published

Secret evidence in the Government's row with the BBC may be made public after all, it emerged today.

MPs on the foreign affairs committee are split over whether to publish a transcript in which the BBC reporter at the heart of the storm allegedly changes his story.

Andrew Gilligan gave evidence in private to the committee on the day that scientist Dr David Kelly committed suicide. After being given a rough ride by members he demanded the record be published - then changed his mind after the death of Dr Kelly.

The committee was deciding this afternoon whether to issue the transcript against Mr Gilligan's wishes.

It came as a senior minister defended the Ministry of Defence against charges that it "outed" Dr Kelly as the BBC's alleged Iraq dossier "mole" after he had been promised anonymity. Leader of the Commons Peter Hain said it was "absurd" to suggest Dr Kelly might have remained unnamed.