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Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans duties 'on hold' during rape inquiry Nigel Evans duties 'on hold' during rape inquiry
(35 minutes later)
Deputy House of Commons Speaker Nigel Evans will not resume his duties in the chamber while police continue to investigate allegations against him.Deputy House of Commons Speaker Nigel Evans will not resume his duties in the chamber while police continue to investigate allegations against him.
Mr Evans, 55, has denied claims of rape and sexual assault against him. Mr Evans denies allegations he raped a man and sexually assaulted another.
He was arrested on 4 May and had said he would return after the Queen's Speech debates, which end on Wednesday. He had asked to be excused from chairing the Queen's Speech debates, which end on Wednesday.
But after a meeting with Speaker John Bercow the two had agreed Mr Evans "would not resume chairing duties while police investigations are ongoing". But the Tory MP and Speaker John Bercow have now agreed Mr Evans will "not resume chairing duties while police investigations are ongoing".
The Conservative MP, who denies any wrongdoing, had asked to be excused from chairing debates on the Queen's Speech. A House of Commons spokesman confirmed the pair met on 7 May, and that the Chairman of Ways and Means, Lindsay Hoyle, and Second Deputy Chairman, Dawn Primarolo, also supported the decision.
Mr Evans said last week that he was continuing work for his Ribble Valley constituency, which had shown him "fantastic support". Mr Evans, 55, was questioned on 4 May about the alleged attacks on two men between July 2009 and March 2013 in Pendleton, Lancashire, and bailed until 19 June.
He said last week that he was continuing work for his Ribble Valley constituency - where he has been an MP since 1922 - which had shown him "fantastic support".
Mr Evans, who came out as gay in 2010, was elected as one of three Commons deputy speakers three years ago.
From 1999 to 2001, he was vice-chairman of the Conservative Party. Then, when Iain Duncan Smith became party leader in 2001, he was promoted to shadow Welsh secretary - a post he held for two years.
He stood twice in Welsh seats before landing the Lancashire constituency he has held since 1992.
After entering the Commons that year, he quickly became a parliamentary private secretary, working for William Hague for two years during his time as Secretary of State for Wales.
An outspoken right-wing MP and known Eurosceptic, Mr Evans was one of the first MPs to start campaigning against the prospect of a single currency. He has also regularly campaigned against drugs.