The information leaked related to the Arms to Africa affair, in which British officials were accused of colluding with mercenaries in Sierra Leone. Mr Anderson, today made a rare personal apology at Westminster for the leak.

He admitted briefing a Foreign Office civil servant about his committee's report into the affair.

Cheryl Gillan: Robin Cook should apologise now

Sheryl Gillan, the Shadow Foreign Affairs minister, said the admission now put pressure on the head of the Foreign Office, the Foreign Secretary Robin Cook.

"The person now who should apologise is Robin Cook," she said.

"Mr Anderson's statement again places Robin Cook right at the heart of this fiasco, and the only person who has not offered an apology is the Foreign Secretary.

Cheryl Gillan: The statement places Robin Cook right at the heart of this fiasco

"I have to say Mr Anderson has done the decent thing, but it really should go back to the Foreign Office.

"All along in this whole fiasco we have seen the blocking of information from the Foreign Office.