Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill

Chris Heaton-Harris Excerpts

Wednesday 9th October 2013 Commons Chamber

[Stephen McPartland]

I imagine that I am already on such a list of Members of Parliament—

[Chris Heaton-Harris (Daventry) (Con)]

It is in the Whips Office.

[Stephen McPartland]

I am definitely on a list in the Whips Office, as my hon. Friend says. I would love to write to the hon. Member for Nottingham North (Mr Allen) about this. It is highly unlikely that I shall get preferment—[Interruption.] Sorry, I am choking with laughter. It is highly unlikely that I shall get preferment in this Parliament. If the RSPCA were to e-mail its members in my constituency and ask them to support me as a candidate because I had voted in a particular way, I would be very uncomfortable about that.

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

I am sure that the Whips do have my hon. Friend’s name on a list, but that is a matter of public record; the votes in this place are always a matter of public record. I would be surprised if Members of any party were not keen to stand on their voting records in the House, and I am sure that my hon. Friend is keen to stand on his record. Surely, then, he could answer the hon. Member for Nottingham North (Mr Allen) by saying, “Yes, I am on a list, which is in the public interest and on public record.”