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Police chief seeks Conway answers Police chief seeks Conway answers
(about 2 hours later)
Metropolitan Police chief Sir Ian Blair has written to the Commons standards commissioner asking why the Derek Conway case was not referred to police. A senior officer at Scotland Yard has written to the Commons standards commissioner asking why the Derek Conway case was not referred to police.
Sir Ian said it appeared the agreed protocol had not been "fully followed". The letter was sent after Sir Ian Blair, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said it appeared the agreed protocol had not been "fully followed".
Mr Conway, Old Bexley and Sidcup MP, was reprimanded for paying his university student son nearly £40,000 to be a Parliamentary researcher. Tory MP Mr Conway was reprimanded for paying his student son nearly £40,000 to be a Parliamentary researcher.
The Commons standards committee, which investigated the case, has said there was not enough evidence to refer it. The Commons standards committee found insufficient evidence to refer it.
A spokesman for Standards Commissioner John Lyon said that position had not changed and said there was no protocol requiring him to explain the reasons to the police.A spokesman for Standards Commissioner John Lyon said that position had not changed and said there was no protocol requiring him to explain the reasons to the police.
It doesn't appear from the face of it that that protocol was fully followed Sir Ian BlairMetropolitan Police CommissionerIt doesn't appear from the face of it that that protocol was fully followed Sir Ian BlairMetropolitan Police Commissioner
Mr Conway has since had the Conservative whip withdrawn, was suspended from Parliament for 10 days and ordered to repay £13,161. He has said he will stand down as an MP at the next general election. Mr Conway has since had the Conservative whip withdrawn, was suspended from Parliament for 10 days and ordered to repay £13,161.
News of Sir Ian's letter emerged at a meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority on Thursday. He has said he will stand down as the MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup at the next general election.
News of the letter emerged at a meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) on Thursday.
Asked by a member of the MPA to explain the protocol in such a case, Sir Ian said: "There is a protocol. The protocol was agreed with the previous Parliamentary standards commissioner.Asked by a member of the MPA to explain the protocol in such a case, Sir Ian said: "There is a protocol. The protocol was agreed with the previous Parliamentary standards commissioner.
"It doesn't appear from the face of it that that protocol was fully followed in this particular case.""It doesn't appear from the face of it that that protocol was fully followed in this particular case."
Full reviewFull review
He added: "What we have done is to write to the standards commissioner and ask him whether he is going to refer the matter to the MPS and if he isn't, what are his reasons and we await that answer."He added: "What we have done is to write to the standards commissioner and ask him whether he is going to refer the matter to the MPS and if he isn't, what are his reasons and we await that answer."
The Conway case has prompted a full review of MPs' allowances and expenses - and the Commons standards committee recommended earlier that it be compulsory for all MPs to register family members working for them.The Conway case has prompted a full review of MPs' allowances and expenses - and the Commons standards committee recommended earlier that it be compulsory for all MPs to register family members working for them.
The committee was satisfied on all the evidence before it that reporting to the House, rather than referral to the police, was the right way forward in this case Sir George Young's statement to MPsThe committee was satisfied on all the evidence before it that reporting to the House, rather than referral to the police, was the right way forward in this case Sir George Young's statement to MPs
Sir Ian added that in such cases police started from the position that the "adjudicating authority has a right and role first and we will wait and see what the answer is".Sir Ian added that in such cases police started from the position that the "adjudicating authority has a right and role first and we will wait and see what the answer is".
"I don't want to get in to the investigation. The Metropolitan Police Service can, and has demonstrably, investigated matters wherever they arise," he said."I don't want to get in to the investigation. The Metropolitan Police Service can, and has demonstrably, investigated matters wherever they arise," he said.
"We are just trying to follow the process but we haven't, and we are not, ignoring the situation.""We are just trying to follow the process but we haven't, and we are not, ignoring the situation."
'Unreservedly apologised''Unreservedly apologised'
At the time he announced the decision to suspend Mr Conway in January, Sir George Young, the chairman of Parliament's Standards and Privileges Committee, said they would not be referring the case to the police.At the time he announced the decision to suspend Mr Conway in January, Sir George Young, the chairman of Parliament's Standards and Privileges Committee, said they would not be referring the case to the police.
He said MPs had "no general immunity from the criminal law" and both his committee and the standards commissioner took legal advice and considered whether there was sufficient evidence to justify referring it to the police.He said MPs had "no general immunity from the criminal law" and both his committee and the standards commissioner took legal advice and considered whether there was sufficient evidence to justify referring it to the police.
But he added: "On the other hand, there is no reason, as I am sure the House will agree, for either the committee or the commissioner to adopt automatically a presumption that a member who is the subject of a complaint may have committed a criminal offence.But he added: "On the other hand, there is no reason, as I am sure the House will agree, for either the committee or the commissioner to adopt automatically a presumption that a member who is the subject of a complaint may have committed a criminal offence.
"The committee was satisfied on all the evidence before it that reporting to the House, rather than referral to the police, was the right way forward in this case.""The committee was satisfied on all the evidence before it that reporting to the House, rather than referral to the police, was the right way forward in this case."
Mr Conway has apologised "unreservedly" to MPs for payments to his son Freddie, blaming "administrative shortcomings" and "misjudgements". He said Freddie had worked for him for 17 hours a week.Mr Conway has apologised "unreservedly" to MPs for payments to his son Freddie, blaming "administrative shortcomings" and "misjudgements". He said Freddie had worked for him for 17 hours a week.
The standards and privileges committee said there was no record of work Freddie had done, and the £1,000-a-month he was paid was too high.The standards and privileges committee said there was no record of work Freddie had done, and the £1,000-a-month he was paid was too high.