May apology after policy announced to media before MPs
Home Secretary Theresa May has apologised after a key immigration policy pledge appeared in the media before being announced to MPs.
Speaker John Bercow said he had looked into a complaint by a Labour MP that details of a cap on non-EU migrants first appeared in newspapers on Monday.
He said details given to journalists were "similar" to a statement then made to MPs and this was a "discourtesy".
Mrs May said she "deeply regretted" that this had happened.
Speaking in the Commons after PM's questions Ms May said: "I deeply regret the fact that in my attempt on Monday to assist the House by moving from a written ministerial statement to an oral statement, the copy of the statement that would have been made in writing to the House was handed out to the press before I made my oral statement.
"I take full responsibility for that, Mr Speaker, and I have no hesitation in apologising to the House and in assuring the House that I will ensure it will not happen again."