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| MPs' questions 'breached rules' | MPs' questions 'breached rules' |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| Some MPs who did not declare financial interests when asking questions in Parliament were in apparent breach of Parliamentary rules, the BBC has found. | Some MPs who did not declare financial interests when asking questions in Parliament were in apparent breach of Parliamentary rules, the BBC has found. |
| They registered money paid by outside sources, but did not mention it when tabling questions to ministers - potentially "a very serious breach". | They registered money paid by outside sources, but did not mention it when tabling questions to ministers - potentially "a very serious breach". |
| MPs must register any money they make outside Parliament. | MPs must register any money they make outside Parliament. |
| They must also declare it when asking a question if it "might reasonably be thought" it influenced their actions. | They must also declare it when asking a question if it "might reasonably be thought" it influenced their actions. |
| The Conservative MP David Amess recently tabled a question to Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell asking what discussions she had had with the Caravan Club about caravan sites at the 2012 Games. | The Conservative MP David Amess recently tabled a question to Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell asking what discussions she had had with the Caravan Club about caravan sites at the 2012 Games. |
| Undeclared interests | Undeclared interests |
| Mr Amess has registered an annual payment of between £5,000 and £10,000 he receives from the Caravan Club. | Mr Amess has registered an annual payment of between £5,000 and £10,000 he receives from the Caravan Club. |
| But he did not declare his interest when writing to the minister. | But he did not declare his interest when writing to the minister. |
| Nor did he alert ministers to his registered interest when asking five other questions about caravans. | Nor did he alert ministers to his registered interest when asking five other questions about caravans. |
| According to the "Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members" not declaring a relevant interest in such circumstances is "a very serious breach of the rules". | According to the "Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members" not declaring a relevant interest in such circumstances is "a very serious breach of the rules". |
| Mr Amess has told the BBC it was "an innocent mistake". | Mr Amess has told the BBC it was "an innocent mistake". |
| He said: "Whether or not my office forgot to tick the box, the questions were completely in order anyway. I've spoken to register of interests and the Caravan Club. | He said: "Whether or not my office forgot to tick the box, the questions were completely in order anyway. I've spoken to register of interests and the Caravan Club. |
| "My question was trying to divert a potentially embarrassing PR disaster if people turned up in caravans in large numbers for the Olympics with no provision. | "My question was trying to divert a potentially embarrassing PR disaster if people turned up in caravans in large numbers for the Olympics with no provision. |
| "There is no financial interest for the caravan club in the question. They can't deal with the capacity problem." | "There is no financial interest for the caravan club in the question. They can't deal with the capacity problem." |
| I hold up both hands for that, but it was a genuine omission, not an attempt to avoid rules Jim Hood MP | I hold up both hands for that, but it was a genuine omission, not an attempt to avoid rules Jim Hood MP |
| Another MP who may have breached the rules on declaring an interest is Labour's Jim Hood. | Another MP who may have breached the rules on declaring an interest is Labour's Jim Hood. |
| He tabled questions about government plans to support clean coal technology in Scotland but did not declare his registered interest as a paid consultant to Scottish Coal. | He tabled questions about government plans to support clean coal technology in Scotland but did not declare his registered interest as a paid consultant to Scottish Coal. |
| The company has been actively campaigning for government to support clean coal technology. | The company has been actively campaigning for government to support clean coal technology. |
| Mr Hood is paid between £5,000 and £10,000 by Scottish Coal. | Mr Hood is paid between £5,000 and £10,000 by Scottish Coal. |
| Referring to the written questions he said: "On both of those I should have ticked the box and I omitted to do so. I hold up both hands for that, but it was a genuine omission, not an attempt to avoid rules." | Referring to the written questions he said: "On both of those I should have ticked the box and I omitted to do so. I hold up both hands for that, but it was a genuine omission, not an attempt to avoid rules." |
| In relation to a prime minister's question on the security of supply of electricity generation he said it was a "criticism of SNP policy not to build nuclear". | In relation to a prime minister's question on the security of supply of electricity generation he said it was a "criticism of SNP policy not to build nuclear". |
| "It had no relation to Scottish Coal," he said. | "It had no relation to Scottish Coal," he said. |
| 'No interest' | 'No interest' |
| Conservative Philip Hollobone also tabled written questions asking for details of government plans for clean coal while being paid by a company which markets clean coal technology. | Conservative Philip Hollobone also tabled written questions asking for details of government plans for clean coal while being paid by a company which markets clean coal technology. |
| In October 2007 he asked the Scottish Secretary and Welsh Secretary "what assessment he has made of the future for clean coal". | In October 2007 he asked the Scottish Secretary and Welsh Secretary "what assessment he has made of the future for clean coal". |
| Mr Hollobone first registered income of between £15,000 and £20,000 a year as a director of Nviro Cleantech in January of that year. | Mr Hollobone first registered income of between £15,000 and £20,000 a year as a director of Nviro Cleantech in January of that year. |
| He told the BBC he did not deem it necessary to declare his interest when he wrote to ministers because it was such a "general question". | He told the BBC he did not deem it necessary to declare his interest when he wrote to ministers because it was such a "general question". |
| The Kettering MP added: "I am confident that I have behaved in a proper and correct way, and would not have asked these questions if there were any conflict of interest." | |
| The rules say that "a pecuniary interest should be declared if it might reasonably be thought by others to influence the speech, representation or communication in question". | The rules say that "a pecuniary interest should be declared if it might reasonably be thought by others to influence the speech, representation or communication in question". |
| The BBC has identified a number of other MPs on both sides of the House who, it might be argued, should have declared a financial interest when tabling or asking Parliamentary questions. | The BBC has identified a number of other MPs on both sides of the House who, it might be argued, should have declared a financial interest when tabling or asking Parliamentary questions. |
| Above all it should be disclosed when a member is dealing with ministers of the crown and civil servants Guide to the Rules | Above all it should be disclosed when a member is dealing with ministers of the crown and civil servants Guide to the Rules |
| Under the current system no-one checks whether MPs are declaring relevant outside interests. | Under the current system no-one checks whether MPs are declaring relevant outside interests. |
| It is left to members to decide when a declaration is necessary and potential breaches would only be investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner if a complaint was made. | It is left to members to decide when a declaration is necessary and potential breaches would only be investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner if a complaint was made. |
| The rules on declaration go back decades with the current rules reminding MPs they have a duty to make any relevant financial interest clear. | The rules on declaration go back decades with the current rules reminding MPs they have a duty to make any relevant financial interest clear. |
| "Above all it should be disclosed when a member is dealing with ministers of the crown and civil servants", the Guide to the Rules states. | "Above all it should be disclosed when a member is dealing with ministers of the crown and civil servants", the Guide to the Rules states. |
| If an MP does not declare a relevant interest when tabling a written question to a minister, the Parliamentary authority "assumes that no interest is declarable". | If an MP does not declare a relevant interest when tabling a written question to a minister, the Parliamentary authority "assumes that no interest is declarable". |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced that a new independent Parliamentary Standards Authority will be created. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced that a new independent Parliamentary Standards Authority will be created. |
| Among other duties, he said it would "maintain the register of interests". | Among other duties, he said it would "maintain the register of interests". |
| What is not yet clear is if that body will proactively investigate whether MPs are abiding by the rules on outside payments. | What is not yet clear is if that body will proactively investigate whether MPs are abiding by the rules on outside payments. |