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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Tougher regulation call for peers | Tougher regulation call for peers |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Pressure is growing for the House of Lords to impose tougher rules on peers who do paid consultancy work. | Pressure is growing for the House of Lords to impose tougher rules on peers who do paid consultancy work. |
| Tony Wright, chairman of the Commons public administration committee, said faith in the political process would be diminished without reform. | Tony Wright, chairman of the Commons public administration committee, said faith in the political process would be diminished without reform. |
| House of Lords leader Lady Royall has said tougher sanctions are needed. | House of Lords leader Lady Royall has said tougher sanctions are needed. |
| On Monday, two of the Labour peers at the centre of claims they offered to help amend laws for up to £120,000 defended themselves in the Lords. | On Monday, two of the Labour peers at the centre of claims they offered to help amend laws for up to £120,000 defended themselves in the Lords. |
| The four peers named in a Sunday Times story are former energy minister Lord Truscott; former defence minister Lord Moonie; Lord Taylor of Blackburn; and former Labour whip Lord Snape - all of whom deny any wrongdoing. | The four peers named in a Sunday Times story are former energy minister Lord Truscott; former defence minister Lord Moonie; Lord Taylor of Blackburn; and former Labour whip Lord Snape - all of whom deny any wrongdoing. |
| 'Agreed framework' | 'Agreed framework' |
| The prime minister's official spokesman said Lady Royall had spoken about the situation at Tuesday's cabinet meeting, but it had not been a lengthy discussion. | |
| Mr Wright said he believed Lords reform was vital and needed to happen within months, not years. | Mr Wright said he believed Lords reform was vital and needed to happen within months, not years. |
| There had to be an "agreed framework" governing the relationship between lobbyists, peers and MPs. | There had to be an "agreed framework" governing the relationship between lobbyists, peers and MPs. |
| "Unless the public can see who is lobbying whom about what, this kind of story will influence people's perceptions of lobbyists and politicians across the board and for the worse," Mr Wright said. | "Unless the public can see who is lobbying whom about what, this kind of story will influence people's perceptions of lobbyists and politicians across the board and for the worse," Mr Wright said. |
| It's important we get something in position to say we have serious sanctions to prevent members of the House of Lords from acting improperly Lord Goodhart, Lib Dems | It's important we get something in position to say we have serious sanctions to prevent members of the House of Lords from acting improperly Lord Goodhart, Lib Dems |
| BBC political correspondent Norman Smith said, with reports claiming paid consultancy work is carried out by roughly one in five of the 743 members of the House of Lords, the row was likely to have profound effects on how it operated in future. | BBC political correspondent Norman Smith said, with reports claiming paid consultancy work is carried out by roughly one in five of the 743 members of the House of Lords, the row was likely to have profound effects on how it operated in future. |
| Liberal Democrat Lord Goodhart, a former member of the Committee for Standards in Public Life, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "What is permissible is giving advice on political issues." | Liberal Democrat Lord Goodhart, a former member of the Committee for Standards in Public Life, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "What is permissible is giving advice on political issues." |
| But the allegations were that some peers were "going beyond advice and giving assistance". | But the allegations were that some peers were "going beyond advice and giving assistance". |
| Lord Goodhart added: "For the future it's important we get something in position to say we have serious sanctions to prevent members of the House of Lords from acting improperly." | Lord Goodhart added: "For the future it's important we get something in position to say we have serious sanctions to prevent members of the House of Lords from acting improperly." |
| On Monday in the Lords, Lord Snape stood up to "refute" the Sunday Times claims, while Lord Taylor of Blackburn apologised but said he felt he had followed the rules. | On Monday in the Lords, Lord Snape stood up to "refute" the Sunday Times claims, while Lord Taylor of Blackburn apologised but said he felt he had followed the rules. |
| A recording was later released on the newspaper's website of Lord Taylor saying firms paid him up to £100,000 a year. | A recording was later released on the newspaper's website of Lord Taylor saying firms paid him up to £100,000 a year. |
| He tells an undercover reporter: "Some companies that I work with would pay me £100,000 a year." | He tells an undercover reporter: "Some companies that I work with would pay me £100,000 a year." |
| 'Rigorous' | 'Rigorous' |
| When the reporter questions it, he adds: "That's cheap for what I do for them. And other companies would pay me £25,000." | When the reporter questions it, he adds: "That's cheap for what I do for them. And other companies would pay me £25,000." |
| Lords leader Lady Royall said a "rigorous" inquiry had already begun. | Lords leader Lady Royall said a "rigorous" inquiry had already begun. |
| In a statement she called the claims "deeply shocking", but pointed out that they were only allegations at this stage but said the claims had been "damaging not just to this House but to Parliament and politics". | In a statement she called the claims "deeply shocking", but pointed out that they were only allegations at this stage but said the claims had been "damaging not just to this House but to Parliament and politics". |
| She said the matter had been referred to the Lords Interests sub-committee, which had already met, and investigations were under way. | She said the matter had been referred to the Lords Interests sub-committee, which had already met, and investigations were under way. |
| Lady Royall said she believed "tougher sanctions" were needed to deal with peers who broke the rules - currently they cannot be suspended or expelled - and she had written to the chairman of the committee of privileges to ask him to review the matter. | Lady Royall said she believed "tougher sanctions" were needed to deal with peers who broke the rules - currently they cannot be suspended or expelled - and she had written to the chairman of the committee of privileges to ask him to review the matter. |
| If the peers were found guilty of having broken the rules, they could be required to apologise on the floor of the Lords, but cannot be expelled from Parliament or stripped of their titles. | If the peers were found guilty of having broken the rules, they could be required to apologise on the floor of the Lords, but cannot be expelled from Parliament or stripped of their titles. |
| The Sunday Times said its reporters had posed as lobbyists acting for a foreign client, who was setting up a chain of shops in the UK and wanted an exemption from the Business Rates Supplements Bill. | The Sunday Times said its reporters had posed as lobbyists acting for a foreign client, who was setting up a chain of shops in the UK and wanted an exemption from the Business Rates Supplements Bill. |