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| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| MPs urged to declare family staff | MPs urged to declare family staff |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The three main parties at Westminster have all urged their MPs to declare any family members working for them. | The three main parties at Westminster have all urged their MPs to declare any family members working for them. |
| Tory leader David Cameron said he would ensure from 1 April his front bench registered family staff and would urge the rest of his MPs to do the same. | Tory leader David Cameron said he would ensure from 1 April his front bench registered family staff and would urge the rest of his MPs to do the same. |
| After Mr Cameron's statement, Downing Street said Gordon Brown had asked for more transparency from Labour MPs. | After Mr Cameron's statement, Downing Street said Gordon Brown had asked for more transparency from Labour MPs. |
| Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg then told BBC News he was encouraging all his MPs to say if they employed family as staff. | Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg then told BBC News he was encouraging all his MPs to say if they employed family as staff. |
| The moves come after Conservative MP Derek Conway was suspended from the Commons for overpaying his son Freddie for working as a researcher. | The moves come after Conservative MP Derek Conway was suspended from the Commons for overpaying his son Freddie for working as a researcher. |
| Party leaders cannot force MPs to register expenses with the Commons authorities, but Mr Cameron said he had received assurances from all his frontbench team that they would do so. | Party leaders cannot force MPs to register expenses with the Commons authorities, but Mr Cameron said he had received assurances from all his frontbench team that they would do so. |
| 'First step' | 'First step' |
| He said: "I think there's a need for greater transparency or openness when it comes to MPs' pay and staff and expenses and allowances. | He said: "I think there's a need for greater transparency or openness when it comes to MPs' pay and staff and expenses and allowances. |
| What needs to happen more broadly is a change of culture at Westminster David Cameron | What needs to happen more broadly is a change of culture at Westminster David Cameron |
| "As a first step I will be asking my front bench colleagues from April this year to register, in the members' register of interests, whether they do employ any family. | "As a first step I will be asking my front bench colleagues from April this year to register, in the members' register of interests, whether they do employ any family. |
| "It would be a good first step. We want to show that MPs do work hard for their constituents and make good use of money." | "It would be a good first step. We want to show that MPs do work hard for their constituents and make good use of money." |
| Mr Cameron revealed that "just over" 70 - out of a total of 193 - Tory MPs employed family members. He said the figure had come from a "ring-round" of most the party's MPs. | Mr Cameron revealed that "just over" 70 - out of a total of 193 - Tory MPs employed family members. He said the figure had come from a "ring-round" of most the party's MPs. |
| Mr Clegg said there were "about 12" Lib Dem MPs, out of 63, who employed family members. | Mr Clegg said there were "about 12" Lib Dem MPs, out of 63, who employed family members. |
| 'Huge challenge' | 'Huge challenge' |
| He also called for the number of family members that MPs can employ in their offices to be limited to one - and said MPs should be forced to produce receipts for spending more than £50. The current limit is £250. | He also called for the number of family members that MPs can employ in their offices to be limited to one - and said MPs should be forced to produce receipts for spending more than £50. The current limit is £250. |
| What really matters is the public is assured that the money is actually going to people doing the job Gordon BrownPrime Minister | What really matters is the public is assured that the money is actually going to people doing the job Gordon BrownPrime Minister |
| Mr Clegg told BBC News 24: "There's a huge challenge for Westminster to haul itself from the 19th century into the higher standards of transparency in the 21st century. | Mr Clegg told BBC News 24: "There's a huge challenge for Westminster to haul itself from the 19th century into the higher standards of transparency in the 21st century. |
| "Yesterday I published on my website all those people who work for me and I am urging all my colleagues in the Liberal Democrat parliamentary party to do the same." | "Yesterday I published on my website all those people who work for me and I am urging all my colleagues in the Liberal Democrat parliamentary party to do the same." |
| Labour has not revealed how many of its 352 MPs employ family members but a party spokesman said Mr Brown had made clear he expected "transparency" in a meeting with Chief Whip Geoff Hoon on Thursday. | Labour has not revealed how many of its 352 MPs employ family members but a party spokesman said Mr Brown had made clear he expected "transparency" in a meeting with Chief Whip Geoff Hoon on Thursday. |
| 'Transparent' | 'Transparent' |
| The spokesman added: "But the important thing is not just that the staff are registered and identified appropriately but that they are doing the job for which they are funded by the taxpayer. | The spokesman added: "But the important thing is not just that the staff are registered and identified appropriately but that they are doing the job for which they are funded by the taxpayer. |
| "That's what Mr Cameron and his party have previously failed to recognise." | "That's what Mr Cameron and his party have previously failed to recognise." |
| Visiting a school sports project in Shropshire, Mr Brown said that "there's got to be transparency in all these things, from every MP, not just a group of MPs". | |
| He added: "What really matters is the public is assured that the money is actually going to people doing the job. | |
| "The important thing is transparency, so people know what's happening." | "The important thing is transparency, so people know what's happening." |
| Mr Brown is expected to meet Labour's parliamentary committee on Wednesday to discuss how to make MPs' spending more open. | Mr Brown is expected to meet Labour's parliamentary committee on Wednesday to discuss how to make MPs' spending more open. |
| Mr Conway, MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, has already been censured for overpaying Freddie's parliamentary allowances and has apologised to MPs. | Mr Conway, MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, has already been censured for overpaying Freddie's parliamentary allowances and has apologised to MPs. |
| He has had his party's whip withdrawn and says he will not fight the next election. | He has had his party's whip withdrawn and says he will not fight the next election. |
| MPs voted on Thursday to suspend Mr Conway for 10 days and ordered him to return £13,161 of the money. | MPs voted on Thursday to suspend Mr Conway for 10 days and ordered him to return £13,161 of the money. |
| At the moment there are no rules against employing relatives paid for out of an MPs' allowances, and there is no requirement for any such link to be declared. | At the moment there are no rules against employing relatives paid for out of an MPs' allowances, and there is no requirement for any such link to be declared. |
| Labour MPs Lynne Jones and David Taylor have tabled a Commons motion calling for a system of "independent assessment" in all appointments when a relative or a close friend of an MP applies for a post. | |
| And Conservative Bob Spink has tabled a motion saying jobs at Westminster should be given to "the most appropriately qualified". | |
| He said staff should be employed by Parliament itself, to "deliver greater visibility and accessibility" to the public and called for an end to "substantial" second jobs for MPs. | |
| Meanwhile, the Scottish Parliament's standards watchdog has told Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander she was wrong to keep donations to her leadership campaign a secret. | |
| Labour said Ms Alexander had been advised that gifts exceeding £520 should be declared in the register of interests. |