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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tory MP Conway faces suspension | Tory MP Conway faces suspension |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Tory MP Derek Conway faces 10 days suspension from the Commons after its standards watchdog found he had wrongly paid his son parliamentary allowances. | |
| Mr Conway paid his son Freddie to work part-time for him as a researcher while he was studying at university. | Mr Conway paid his son Freddie to work part-time for him as a researcher while he was studying at university. |
| The Standards and Privileges committee says this was "a serious breach of the rules" and he should apologise to MPs. | |
| Mr Conway said his son worked about 17 hours a week for him and he did not infringe the staffing allowance rules. | |
| MPs are given allowances to run their office and pay their staff and there are no rules to stop wives, husbands, sons, daughters and other family members working for them. | MPs are given allowances to run their office and pay their staff and there are no rules to stop wives, husbands, sons, daughters and other family members working for them. |
| 'No records' | 'No records' |
| But in its critical report, the committee ordered Mr Conway to repay "the overpaid bonus sums" of about £13,000 and pension contributions received by his son. | |
| We are astonished that there appears to be no evidence, independent or otherwise, of any aspect of Freddie Conway's work for his father Standards and Privileges Committee | We are astonished that there appears to be no evidence, independent or otherwise, of any aspect of Freddie Conway's work for his father Standards and Privileges Committee |
| The committee's MPs found that Freddie Conway was paid at a full-time equivalent rate of £25,970 per year throughout his employment. | |
| However, "no records appear to exist of either actual work that FC did for his father, or of the work he was required to undertake", the MPs said. | However, "no records appear to exist of either actual work that FC did for his father, or of the work he was required to undertake", the MPs said. |
| "We are astonished that there appears to be no evidence, independent or otherwise, of any aspect of FC's work for his father." | "We are astonished that there appears to be no evidence, independent or otherwise, of any aspect of FC's work for his father." |
| The committee said Freddie Conway, who they refer to as FC, seemed to "have been all but invisible during the period of his employment". | The committee said Freddie Conway, who they refer to as FC, seemed to "have been all but invisible during the period of his employment". |
| For the majority of that time he was based at Newcastle University where he was engaged in a full time degree course. | For the majority of that time he was based at Newcastle University where he was engaged in a full time degree course. |
| 'Improper use' of allowances | 'Improper use' of allowances |
| "He had little or no contact with his father's office, either in the House or in the constituency," the MPs said. | "He had little or no contact with his father's office, either in the House or in the constituency," the MPs said. |
| "No record of the work he is supposed to have carried out, or the hours kept. The only evidence available to us of work carried out was that provided by FC and his family." | "No record of the work he is supposed to have carried out, or the hours kept. The only evidence available to us of work carried out was that provided by FC and his family." |
| The MPs said this arrangement was "at the least an improper use of parliamentary allowances" and "at worst, a serious diversion of public funds". | The MPs said this arrangement was "at the least an improper use of parliamentary allowances" and "at worst, a serious diversion of public funds". |
| "Our view is that the reality may well be somewhere between the two," they said. | "Our view is that the reality may well be somewhere between the two," they said. |
| There is conclusive evidence that Mr Conway authorised the payment of bonuses to Freddie that went way beyond the permitted ceiling Standards and Privileges Committee | |
| "Taking together our assessments of the salary level paid to FC and the number of hours for which he was remunerated, we are of the view that Mr Conway misused the staffing allowance. | "Taking together our assessments of the salary level paid to FC and the number of hours for which he was remunerated, we are of the view that Mr Conway misused the staffing allowance. |
| "He should have exercised his judgement more carefully, particularly as a family member was involved, as he could be seen as having a clear personal motivation for paying his son over-generously. | "He should have exercised his judgement more carefully, particularly as a family member was involved, as he could be seen as having a clear personal motivation for paying his son over-generously. |
| "He also seemed to be oblivious to the broader reputational risks to the House of any perception of personal benefit to his family." | "He also seemed to be oblivious to the broader reputational risks to the House of any perception of personal benefit to his family." |
| The committee said there was "conclusive evidence" that Mr Conway authorised bonus payments to his son "that went way beyond the permitted ceiling throughout the period of FC's employment". | |
| "In support of our conclusions, we note that all bonuses for staff authorised by Mr Conway in the previous three years were within the permitted level." | |
| Mr Conway has been MP for Old Bexley & Sidcup since 2001. |