Campaigners have called for Lord Evans of Watford, the peer facing cash-for-access questions, to be investigated for potential breaches of House of Lords rules, following a Guardian investigation.
Angela Smith, the leader of the House of Lords, said that if Evans had broken the rules he should “not be a member of the house”.
An undercover investigation by the Guardian revealed Evans’s involvement in an apparent cash-for-access venture. He was recorded offering access to ministers during discussions about the sponsorship of a commercial event in parliament run by his son, a deal worth tens of thousands of pounds.
The peer told undercover reporters, who posed as property developers looking to lobby government, that he would make introductions to ministers and explained how to approach Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister and housing secretary. He said he was happy to support them because he was keen to help the government build more social housing.
Lord Evans has not received payment in connection with the events he sponsors in the House of Lords.
Lord Evans’ involvement was part of discussions about £25,000 sponsorship of a House of Lords event on construction organised by a company run by his son and in which Lord Evans is a one-third shareholder.
Lord Evans denied breaking the rules. He told the Guardian: “To my knowledge, I have not broken any House of Lords rules and I have NOT taken any personal benefits.”
The revelations have prompted calls from campaigners for the Lords commissioners for standards, who are responsible for examining alleged breaches of the rules, to open an investigation.
Susan Hawley, the director of the transparency campaign group Spotlight on Corruption, said: “It is essential that the House of Lords commissioners for standards conduct a thorough review into whether Lord Evans may have benefited his son and even himself.
“As a peer, Lord Evans clearly has the right to seek meetings with ministers to talk about important issues like housing. But it is seriously damaging to trust in parliament if peers are seen to be using their public position to gain financial benefit either for themselves or family members.”
Rose Whiffen, a senior research officer at Transparency International UK, said there were “serious concerns about potential breaches of parliamentary standards”.
She said: “The House of Lords exists for members to scrutinise legislation and contribute expertise from outside parliament, not to help them or their family make money off their privileged position.
“The code of conduct clearly states that peers should not be hosting events in return for any sort of reward, even if that benefit is not reportable itself. These allegations, if proven, undermine public trust in our democratic institutions and highlight the urgent need for reform of the Lords to ensure proper accountability.”
She said a review that is scrutinising the Lords’ code of conduct, which peers are due to discuss next week, offered an opportunity to tighten the rules.
Should the standards commissioners find that Evans has breached the rules, the most senior minister in the Lords has suggested that the conduct committee, which may then rule on a sanction, should consider expulsion.
Lady Smith told the BBC: “If he’s broken the rules then he should not be a member of the house. That’s a matter for the conduct committee to look at. I’ve seen some of the reports, I don’t know the details of it, but obviously the commissioner can investigate that and a complaint can be made.”
Source: theguardian.com
