Privileges and Conduct Committee

Lord Sewel Excerpts

Tuesday 16th December 2014 Lords Chamber

Moved by

[Lord Sewel]

That the 2nd Report from the Select Committee (The conduct of Lord Redesdale) (HL Paper 78) be agreed to.

[The Chairman of Committees (Lord Sewel)]

My Lords, this report follows an investigation by the Commissioner for Standards into the conduct of the noble Lord, Lord Redesdale. The commissioner received a complaint alleging that the noble Lord, Lord Redesdale, breached the Code of Conduct by not registering certain interests in the Register of Lords’ Interests and by registering certain other interests more than one month after those interests came about.

The commissioner considered nine allegations of non-registration and eight allegations of late registration. He upheld seven of the allegations of non-registration and six of the allegations of late registration. In respect of those findings, the noble Lord, Lord Redesdale, admitted to the commissioner that he had been in breach; he has corrected the register so far as it can be. In addition, the noble Lord, Lord Redesdale, drew the commissioner’s attention to a further interest which he had discovered he had neglected to register.

In accordance with paragraphs 129 and 130 of the Guide to the Code of Conduct, the Sub-Committee on Lords’ Conduct had to decide the appropriate sanction. The sub-committee recommended that the noble Lord, Lord Redesdale, be required to make a personal statement of apology to the House in terms approved by the chairman of the sub-committee. The noble Lord, Lord Redesdale, accepted the findings of the commissioner and the sanction recommended by the sub-committee and he did not appeal.

Paragraph 132 of the Guide to the Code of Conduct states:

“If the Member does not appeal to the Committee for Privileges and Conduct in the event of a complaint being upheld, the Committee reports forthwith to the House in the terms recommended by the Sub-Committee”.

I therefore report the findings of the commissioner and the sub-committee to the House. If this report is agreed today, the noble Lord, Lord Redesdale, will make his personal statement, which has been agreed in advance with the chairman of the sub-committee, immediately after the report has been agreed. I beg to move.

Motion agreed.