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9 October 2011
Last updated at 12:58 ET
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Footage appearing to show Liam Fox and Adam Werritty meeting Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa
Defence Secretary Liam Fox has apologised over his working relationship with his former flatmate and best man Adam Werritty.
Mr Fox said it was "a mistake to allow distinctions to be blurred between my professional responsibilities and my personal loyalties to a friend".
Mr Werritty, who is not employed by the MoD nor has national security clearance, joined meetings with Mr Fox.
The prime minister David Cameron has demanded answers on Monday.
The defence secretary, who is back in Britain following a trip to Libya, now faces an MoD inquiry into his working relationship with Mr Werritty.
On Monday, the preliminary findings are due to be examined by Mr Cameron.
Mr Fox added in his statement: "I have apologised to the prime minister and agreed with my permanent secretary to put in place new procedures to ensure that this does not happen again."
A video had emerged which shows Mr Werritty, who has no official role, attended a meeting with the Sri Lankan president with the defence secretary.
And emails suggest a meeting with Dubai businessmen was not a chance encounter, as Mr Fox had claimed.
Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy called on Mr Fox to make a statement in Parliament, and, along with shadow chancellor Ed Balls, described the situation as a "murky business".
Mr Murphy has written to the prime minister calling for an independent investigation into the allegations, and claiming the current MoD inquiry is an "inadequate response".
'Impression of wrongdoing' In his statement, Mr Fox said: "At no stage did I or my department provide classified information or briefings to Mr Werritty or assist with his commercial work - let alone benefit personally from this work.
"Nevertheless, I do accept that given Mr Werritty's defence-related business interests, my frequent contacts with him may have given an impression of wrongdoing, and may also have given third parties the misleading impression that Mr Werritty was an official adviser rather than simply a friend.
"I have learned lessons from this experience."
On the Dubai meeting he said it was "wrong to meet with a commercial supplier without the presence of an official".
He pledged to answer "all questions" in the House of Commons.
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Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.Footage appearing to show Liam Fox and Adam Werritty meeting Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa
Defence Secretary Liam Fox has apologised over his working relationship with his former flatmate and best man Adam Werritty.
Mr Fox said it was "a mistake to allow distinctions to be blurred between my professional responsibilities and my personal loyalties to a friend".
Mr Werritty, who is not employed by the MoD nor has national security clearance, joined meetings with Mr Fox.
The prime minister David Cameron has demanded answers on Monday.
The defence secretary, who is back in Britain following a trip to Libya, now faces an MoD inquiry into his working relationship with Mr Werritty.
On Monday, the preliminary findings are due to be examined by Mr Cameron.
Mr Fox added in his statement: "I have apologised to the prime minister and agreed with my permanent secretary to put in place new procedures to ensure that this does not happen again."
A video had emerged which shows Mr Werritty, who has no official role, attended a meeting with the Sri Lankan president with the defence secretary.
And emails suggest a meeting with Dubai businessmen was not a chance encounter, as Mr Fox had claimed.
Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy called on Mr Fox to make a statement in Parliament, and, along with shadow chancellor Ed Balls, described the situation as a "murky business".
Mr Murphy has written to the prime minister calling for an independent investigation into the allegations, and claiming the current MoD inquiry is an "inadequate response".
'Impression of wrongdoing' In his statement, Mr Fox said: "At no stage did I or my department provide classified information or briefings to Mr Werritty or assist with his commercial work - let alone benefit personally from this work.
"Nevertheless, I do accept that given Mr Werritty's defence-related business interests, my frequent contacts with him may have given an impression of wrongdoing, and may also have given third parties the misleading impression that Mr Werritty was an official adviser rather than simply a friend.
"I have learned lessons from this experience."
On the Dubai meeting he said it was "wrong to meet with a commercial supplier without the presence of an official".
He pledged to answer "all questions" in the House of Commons.
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