---

Standards and Privileges

I thank my right hon. Friend the Member for North-West Hampshire (Sir George Young) for the sterling work he does as Chairman of the Committee, and I thank his fellow Committee members, not only for having produced the report so expeditiously but for all the other work they do on that very important Committee. The disclosure requirements complement the broader review that is being undertaken by the Members Estimates Committee, the findings of which will be published just before the summer recess. My party and I welcome the proposals. It is important that there is transparency in all we do and in how we use taxpayers' money. That is particularly so when family members are involved and are paid from the staffing allowance, which at the end of the day is taxpayers' money. However, I wish to put on record my tribute to the enormous hard work done by family members for hon. Members. I do not employ any family members as part of my staff but I have seen many others who do. It is important to remember that the job of a Member's personal assistant—if he or she is a spouse—does not end at 5 o'clock; it is not a nine-to-five job. When the Member goes home, so does the spouse, but also so does the personal assistant. The work continues to be done at home, including at weekends. It is important to recognise the work done by spouses. I also wish to put it on the record that the Leader of the Opposition has already instructed his Front-Bench team that any family members that they employ should be registered, and we welcome the fact that the Standards and Privileges Committee has followed that line. The House will be aware that the Leader of the Opposition has also said that, from 1 April, his Front-Bench team must itemise their spending in terms of the different allowances. The report is a step in the right direction, towards transparency, and Conservative Members welcome it. Question put and agreed to. Resolved,"That this House approves the Seventh Report of the Committee on Standards and Privileges (House of Commons Paper No. 436) on Employment of family members through the Staffing Allowance; and endorses the changes proposed by the Committee in the purpose and form of the Register of Members' Interests."