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| Questions over MP 'clean-up' bill | Questions over MP 'clean-up' bill |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Plans to "clean up politics" in the wake of the expenses scandal face more questions in the Commons later. | Plans to "clean up politics" in the wake of the expenses scandal face more questions in the Commons later. |
| On Monday the Parliamentary Standards Bill passed its first Commons hurdle but concerns have been raised that the bill is being "rushed through". | On Monday the Parliamentary Standards Bill passed its first Commons hurdle but concerns have been raised that the bill is being "rushed through". |
| Minister Jack Straw agreed to drop a clause that would have made the MPs' code of conduct legally binding. | Minister Jack Straw agreed to drop a clause that would have made the MPs' code of conduct legally binding. |
| The government says it will try to reintroduce it later but apply it only to MPs' financial matters. | |
| The prime minister's spokesman said: "For us the key part was always the part that relates to financial matters and that remains". | The prime minister's spokesman said: "For us the key part was always the part that relates to financial matters and that remains". |
| Independent body | Independent body |
| Wider plans for a legally binding code of conduct covering other aspects of MPs' behaviour were dropped amid concerns it would prompt a flood of legal challenges. | Wider plans for a legally binding code of conduct covering other aspects of MPs' behaviour were dropped amid concerns it would prompt a flood of legal challenges. |
| Tuesday's debate is expected to focus on the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority - which will authorise or reject MPs' expenses claims and oversee a new allowances system. | Tuesday's debate is expected to focus on the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority - which will authorise or reject MPs' expenses claims and oversee a new allowances system. |
| MPs will debate how it will be set up and who will be on it. | MPs will debate how it will be set up and who will be on it. |
| This could have a chilling effect on the freedom of speech of members Malcolm JackClerk of the House | This could have a chilling effect on the freedom of speech of members Malcolm JackClerk of the House |
| More controversial proposals to create three new criminal offences for MPs who break rules will be debated in the Commons on Wednesday. | More controversial proposals to create three new criminal offences for MPs who break rules will be debated in the Commons on Wednesday. |
| The Tories say existing laws should be applied more rigorously and the new laws mean an MP could face 12 months in jail - while, under the Theft Act, other people could get up to ten years. | The Tories say existing laws should be applied more rigorously and the new laws mean an MP could face 12 months in jail - while, under the Theft Act, other people could get up to ten years. |
| Conservative MPs have put down amendments calling for the offences of knowingly making a false claim for an allowance, failing to register a relevant interest and breaking the rules on paid advocacy to be removed. | Conservative MPs have put down amendments calling for the offences of knowingly making a false claim for an allowance, failing to register a relevant interest and breaking the rules on paid advocacy to be removed. |
| 'Water down' | 'Water down' |
| Shadow Commons leader Alan Duncan said the amendments were designed to "probe the Bill" and Tory MPs would listen to the debate before deciding how to vote. | Shadow Commons leader Alan Duncan said the amendments were designed to "probe the Bill" and Tory MPs would listen to the debate before deciding how to vote. |
| A spokesman for Justice Secretary Jack Straw said the Conservative amendments "would dramatically water down the powers of the new authority". | A spokesman for Justice Secretary Jack Straw said the Conservative amendments "would dramatically water down the powers of the new authority". |
| Mr Straw has pointed out that MPs have been happy to vote through "stringent penalties" for Welsh Assembly members and MSPs who are found guilty of misconduct. | Mr Straw has pointed out that MPs have been happy to vote through "stringent penalties" for Welsh Assembly members and MSPs who are found guilty of misconduct. |
| The painful lesson of the last six weeks is that our prescription for others must now be applied to ourselves Jack StrawJustice Secretary MPs' code of conduct plan dropped New laws target rule-breaking MPs | The painful lesson of the last six weeks is that our prescription for others must now be applied to ourselves Jack StrawJustice Secretary MPs' code of conduct plan dropped New laws target rule-breaking MPs |
| But in Monday's debate Liberal Democrat MP Sir Alan Beith, who chairs the Commons justice committee, also raised concerns about the new criminal offences which he said could raise problems of "double jeopardy" - people being prosecuted twice for the same offence. | But in Monday's debate Liberal Democrat MP Sir Alan Beith, who chairs the Commons justice committee, also raised concerns about the new criminal offences which he said could raise problems of "double jeopardy" - people being prosecuted twice for the same offence. |
| The government wants the bill, which includes plans for an independent body to run MPs' expenses, to be on the statute books by 21 July, when MPs leave for the summer recess. | The government wants the bill, which includes plans for an independent body to run MPs' expenses, to be on the statute books by 21 July, when MPs leave for the summer recess. |
| It means there is a tight timetable for scrutinising the proposals - with only three days of debate scheduled. | It means there is a tight timetable for scrutinising the proposals - with only three days of debate scheduled. |
| Mr Straw said it was "emergency legislation on which all parties are in principle committed to a speedy passage". | Mr Straw said it was "emergency legislation on which all parties are in principle committed to a speedy passage". |
| But several figures have raised concerns it is being rushed through and may have damaging consequences. | But several figures have raised concerns it is being rushed through and may have damaging consequences. |
| In Monday's debate veteran Tory backbencher Sir Patrick Cormack, referring to a widely criticised piece of emergency legislation, said it was in danger of becoming a "constitutional Dangerous Dogs Bill". | In Monday's debate veteran Tory backbencher Sir Patrick Cormack, referring to a widely criticised piece of emergency legislation, said it was in danger of becoming a "constitutional Dangerous Dogs Bill". |
| Proper scrutiny | Proper scrutiny |
| Labour's Andrew Dismore said he understood the reasons it was being "rushed on to the statue book" but said it made it "impossible" for it to be properly scrutinised. | Labour's Andrew Dismore said he understood the reasons it was being "rushed on to the statue book" but said it made it "impossible" for it to be properly scrutinised. |
| Sir Philip Mawer, a former standards commissioner, told a separate inquiry into MPs' expenses the proposals were a "recipe for delay, cost and confusion". | Sir Philip Mawer, a former standards commissioner, told a separate inquiry into MPs' expenses the proposals were a "recipe for delay, cost and confusion". |
| And Malcolm Jack, the Commons' most senior official, warned in written evidence to the justice committee that one clause would allow Parliamentary proceedings to be admitted as evidence in criminal proceedings. | And Malcolm Jack, the Commons' most senior official, warned in written evidence to the justice committee that one clause would allow Parliamentary proceedings to be admitted as evidence in criminal proceedings. |
| "This could have a chilling effect on the freedom of speech of members and of witnesses before committees," he wrote. | "This could have a chilling effect on the freedom of speech of members and of witnesses before committees," he wrote. |
| Mr Straw said it was "imperative that we have on the statute book by the end of July a workable scheme to establish an Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and all that goes with it". | Mr Straw said it was "imperative that we have on the statute book by the end of July a workable scheme to establish an Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and all that goes with it". |
| He told MPs on Monday the expenses scandal had "profoundly affected the public's trust in us" and had "seriously damaged our own confidence in ourselves". | He told MPs on Monday the expenses scandal had "profoundly affected the public's trust in us" and had "seriously damaged our own confidence in ourselves". |
| He said the Commons had been "unrelenting" in ending self-regulation for other institutions and industries: "The painful lesson of the last six weeks is that our prescription for others must now be applied to ourselves." | He said the Commons had been "unrelenting" in ending self-regulation for other institutions and industries: "The painful lesson of the last six weeks is that our prescription for others must now be applied to ourselves." |