“Former minister Keith Vaz is to face an official inquiry into allegations that he tried to interfere in a court case and breached the MPs’ code of conduct.”
The Guardian, 3rd October 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The House of Lords, whose members once formed a roll-call of the shires of Britain, is now ‘unacceptably dominated’ by peers who live in London and the south-east of England, according to a new report.”
The Guardian, 2nd September 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“MPs should not be able to employ their children using taxpayers’ money, the government has said.”
BBC News, 5th August 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“MPs have won their battle to keep their addresses private.”
BBC News, 18th July 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Plans for a wholly or mainly elected House of Lords have been shelved until after the next general election, Jack Straw announced today.”
The Guardian, 14th July 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The government today set out proposals for the next stage of reforming the House of Lords.”
Ministry of Justice, 14th July 2008
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“The number of peers sitting in the House of Lords is to be slashed from 735 to only 400 under proposals to be announced by Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary.”
Daily Telegraph, 12th July 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“MPs have spent more than £3 million of taxpayers’ cash redesigning the parliamentary website, it has been revealed.”
The Guardian, 11th July 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A senior Lib Dem MP broke parliamentary rules by sending newsletters to constituents at taxpayers’ expense, the Commons standards watchdog says.”
BBC News, 11th July 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Gordon Brown has lost a of trial of strength with Ruth Kelly and is allowing her to miss a crucial vote to relax embryo research next week, The Times has learnt.”
The Times, 1st July 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“Parliamentary authorities have halted part of a major overhaul of MPs’ expenses because of an investigation by parliament’s sleaze watchdog into cabinet ministers Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper, it emerged today.”
The Guardian, 25th June 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“MPs will be banned from buying furniture, installing new kitchens or buying televisions on expenses but will be given a £4,200 a year subsistence allowance which can be claimed without receipts.”
The Times, 25th June 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“MPs’ expenses claims could be subject to stricter checks under plans to reform the system for parliamentary allowances being published this morning.”
The Guardian, 25th June 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Caroline Spelman is to face an official inquiry by parliament’s sleaze watchdog into expenses claims in relation to her nanny, it was announced today.”
The Guardian, 17th June 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“David Davis listed a host of controversial developments in the arena of civil liberties as the reasons for his shock resignation.”
The Independent, 12th June 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“The House of Lords is aiming to spruce up its fusty image by launching viral videos on a YouTube channel to ‘combat outdated stereotypes of members’ and build on its first web foray Lords of the Blog.”
The Guardian, 13th June 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A request to see MPs’ expenses seemed innocuous enough. But, says Robert Verkaik, Law Editor, the Commons authorities decided to fight it tooth and nail.”
The Independent, 23rd May 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Corporate Officer of the House of Commons v Information Commissioner and Others
Queen’s Bench Division
“Shortcomings in transparency and accountability in the system of paying additional costs allowances to Members of Parliament justified full disclosure of detailed information concerning those payments of their residential expenses.”
The Times, 22nd May 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
“A Labour peer was cleared of misconduct yesterday after a House of Lords disciplinary committee failed to establish whether he broke parliamentary rules by taking money for a ministerial introduction.”
The Guardian, 22nd May 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The obligation to provide information for disclosure pursuant to s 1(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 was distinct from and not limited by the obligation to provide information for disclosure in a publication scheme pursuant to s 19 of that Act. Members of Parliament could not expect to contract out of compliance with the freedom of information legislation nor expect the House of Commons, for its own purposes, to suspend or dispense with legislation without expressly amending or repealing it. Details of a member’s residential address did not benefit from exemption under s40 of the 2000 Act and disclosure was justified in accordance with para 6(1) of Schedule 2 to the Data Protection Act 1998 where it was ordered as part of a disclosure of information concerning a deeply flawed system of payment of members’ expenses.”
WLR Daily, 19th May 2008
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
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