Home secretary Sajid Javid had a bust-up with Labour’s Yvette Cooper after he refused to discuss specifics of the Shamima Begum case.
Mr Javid stripped Ms Begum of her UK citizenship shortly after she revealed her hopes to of returning to Britain following her decision to flee to Syria to become an Isis bride in 2015.
But called before the Home Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Mr Javid flatly refused to discuss the specifics of her case.
And he soon came under attack from an exasperated Ms Cooper, who asked: “I don’t understand why you can’t answer [questions] in regards to this case?
"There’s nothing legally preventing you and there’s nothing in the rules of the House preventing you from answering with regards to this individual case.”
Mr Javid stuttered back: “Er, there is.
“I am preven… this particular case may become subject to legal proceedings…”
Ms Cooper interrupted: “Has it been at this point? Are there any legal proceedings around this case at the moment?”
No proceedings against Ms Begum are open as the 19-year-old remains in Syria.
Mr Javid retorted: “I can’t answer anything regarding this case because it may become subject to legal proceedings.
“Also there are related legal proceedings and also there is secret intelligence involved. Just for those two reasons – I could probably think of more – it would not be appropriate to talk about a particular case or the details of a case.”
Ms Cooper said: “This committee would not ask you, ever, to release crucial intelligence. We would never do so. The speaker has said there is no legal proceedings in this case under way.
“Is it your view you would never answer questions on any cases because theoretically there might be a possibility of some future legal proceedings?”
Sir Phillip Rutnam, permanent secretary of the Home Office, jumped in and said avoiding commenting on individual cases “has been the position of the Home Office under successive administrations”.
On Monday, Ms Begums’ father pleaded for her return, saying she is just “a little child” who “made a mistake”.
