Conduct of Mr George Galloway

Conduct of Mr George Galloway
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee on Standards and Privileges
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 216
Release: 2007-07-17
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0215035224

The Committee's report examines the memorandum produced by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards on the outcome of his investigation of complaints against the conduct of Mr George Galloway MP; the text of the memorandum is included as an appendix to the report. The Commissioner's investigation focused on allegations published in a series of articles in the Daily Telegraph in April 2003 that Mr Galloway had received substantial undeclared personal financial benefits from the former Iraqi regime ran by Saddam Hussein by way of the UN Oil for Food programme, and that in doing so he had breached the Commons' rules on registration of interests and the Commons' Code of Conduct. The Commissioner's inquiry has been one of the most complex undertaken and of unparalleled duration, having been delayed by legal proceedings. The Committee's report finds that Mr Galloway's use of parliamentary facilities in connection with the Mariam Appeal went beyond what is reasonable and that he should have registered his interests in the Mariam Appeal and all donations it received above the specified threshold. It also finds that there is strong circumstantial evidence that the former Iraqi Government funded the campaigning activities of the Mariam Appeal, with the connivance of Mr Galloway, through the Oil for Food programme. In doing so, Mr Galloway breached the advocacy rule of the Code. However, the Committee finds that there is no evidence that shows whether Mr Galloway has 'directly and personally, unlawfully received money from the former Iraqi regime'. The Committee finds that, in light of Mr Galloway's conduct in the course of the investigation, including questioning the integrity of the Commissioner and the Committee, he has damaged the reputation of the House. It recommends that he apologise to the House and that he should be suspended from the House for 18 sittings days, starting after the Summer Recess.

Conduct of Mr George Osborne

Conduct of Mr George Osborne
Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Committee on Standards and Privileges
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 84
Release: 2008
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780215520524

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards submitted a memorandum on his investigation of a complaint that Mr George Osborne failed to register certain donations in the Register of Members' Interests. These donations were made to the Conservative Party and used by the Party to support the cost of running his office as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. It became clear that many other members of the Shadow Cabinet used funds in this way, so this complaint has ramifications well beyond one entry in the Register. Mr Osborne believes that financial support received through a party to support work as a Shadow Minister does not constitute 'financial or material support as a Member of Parliament'. The Commissioner finds that there is no logical reason to differentiate between the different capacities in which MPs receive financial support, and upholds the complaint, but does not believe Mr Osborne should be criticised as the area was in need of clarification. He makes five recommendations which should regularise the position, and members of the Shadow Cabinet are given four weeks from publication of this report to amend their Register entries. The Committee agrees with the Commissioner's findings and recommendations.

Conduct of Mr Gregory Campbell

Conduct of Mr Gregory Campbell
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee on Standards and Privileges
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 28
Release: 2007-07-26
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780215035707

Conduct of Mr Gregory Campbell : Seventh report of session 2006-07, report and appendices, together with formal Minutes

Conduct of Mr Norman Baker, Mr Malcolm Bruce and Mr Sadiq Khan

Conduct of Mr Norman Baker, Mr Malcolm Bruce and Mr Sadiq Khan
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee on Standards and Privileges
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 88
Release: 2007-12-13
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780215037749

A report that examines a complaint on the conduct of Mr Norman Baker (MP for Lewes), the Rt Hon Malcolm Bruce (MP for Gordon), Mr Sadiq Khan (MP for Tooting).

Conduct of Mr Elfyn Llwyd, Mr Adam Price and Mr Hywel Willliams

Conduct of Mr Elfyn Llwyd, Mr Adam Price and Mr Hywel Willliams
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee on Standards and Privileges
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 72
Release: 2007-11-19
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780215037381

The complaint against the three Members, relating to adverts placed in newspapers prior to the Welsh Assembly elections, had four components: whether the advertisements contained inappropriate material; whether the use of party logos breached the Communication Allowance rules; whether the extent and method of circulation was appropriate as a method of reporting back to a constituency the activities of its Member of Parliament; and whether the week before the Welsh Assembly elections was appropriate timing for such a communication. The Committee find that the advertisements were a form of campaigning and should not have been paid for by the Communication Allowance and that this money should be repayed. In addition the Committee welcomes the fact that the Parliamentary Commissioner will in future consider what should be funded from Parliamentary allowances during the period of an election.

Employment of family members through the staffing allowance

Employment of family members through the staffing allowance
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee on Standards and Privileges
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 20
Release: 2008-03-19
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780215514332

Employment of family members through the staffing Allowance : Seventh report of session 2007-08, report and appendices, together with formal Minutes

Ms Dari Taylor

Ms Dari Taylor
Author: House of Commons Committee on Standards
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 64
Release: 2008-11-12
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780215524942

This is the 18th report from the Committee on Standards and Privileges (HCP 1188, session 2007-08, ISBN 9780215524942) on a complaint against Ms Dari Taylor MP, for Stockton South. The complaint against Ms Taylor, by Mr James Wharton of Stockton South Conservatives, concerned the possible misuse of stationery and postage provided by Parliament, for letters sent between August and October 2007. In total, six letters were sent, with the Parliamentary Commissioner reaching a separate conclusion for each letter, as to whether the letters represented an allowable use of Incidental Expenses Provision and of House of Commons stationery and postage. The case against two letters was dismissed. The Commissioner concluded that in three cases, official House of Commons stationery provided by the House and pre-paid envelopes were misused, and that in a fourth case, official House of Commons stationery purchased by Ms Taylor was misused. The Committee therefore agrees with the Commissioner's conclusions. The Committee further concluded, that they strongly deprecated the continued misuse by Ms Taylor of House stationery for political purposes and also expresses regret that Ms Taylor has continued to dispute parts of the Commissioner's findings and has offered no apology. In conclusion, the Committee states Ms Taylor should pay the House authorities the sum of £500 and sunmit an unequivocal written apology.

Use of Pre-paid Envelopes and Official Stationery

Use of Pre-paid Envelopes and Official Stationery
Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Committee on Standards and Privileges
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 16
Release: 2008
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780215525253

Use of pre-paid envelopes and official Stationery : Nineteenth report of session 2007-08, report and appendix, together with formal Minutes

Premature Disclosure of Select Committee Papers

Premature Disclosure of Select Committee Papers
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee on Standards and Privileges
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 40
Release: 2008
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780215525437

This report, (HCP 1212, session 2007-08, ISBN 9780215525437), contains conclusions on two cases referred to the Committee on Standards and Privileges by other committees of the House. The first case involved the unauthorised disclosure of two papers prepared for the European Scrutiny Committee by its legal adviser on the mandate for the inter-governmental conference which led to the Lisbon Treaty, and appeared in an article in the Daily Telegraph on 26 June 2007. The second involved the unauthorised disclosure of parts of a draft report prepared for the Home Affairs Committee on the Government's counter terrorism proposals which appeared in the Financial Times on 5 December 2007. The Standards Committee accepts the view that the disclosure of such internal committee papers constituted a substantial interference in their work.

Complaints about alleged misuse of Parliamentary dining facilities

Complaints about alleged misuse of Parliamentary dining facilities
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee on Standards and Privileges
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 154
Release: 2007-04-02
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780215033475

Complaints about alleged misuse of Parliamentary dining Facilities : Third report of session 2006-07, report and appendices, together with formal Minutes