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Parliamentary Standards Bill

The effect of the amendments in this group is to remove from the Bill the two offences of failing, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a requirement in the code of conduct on financial interests in relation to registration of interests, and of breaching the paid advocacy rules. We tabled the amendment to remove the offence in relation to paid advocacy on Monday, so noble Lords were already aware of it during our debates on Tuesday. We have accepted that it is an offence which would be difficult to prove without incursion into matters covered by privilege, and with the removal of the clause which would have waived privilege for the courts and prosecutors in investigating and prosecuting the offence, would have probably been unworkable. This does not mean that breach of the rules of paid advocacy is not to be taken very seriously. We have agreed not to pursue it in this Bill on the basis that the draft Bribery Bill currently receiving pre-legislative scrutiny will cover the same mischief. I also signalled on Tuesday that I was looking further at the offence in Clause 8(2) in relation to the registration of interests. I have concluded that we should also remove this from the Bill. There would not have been the same difficulty in prosecuting the offence as there would have been with paid advocacy. I remind your Lordships that this Parliament created offences of failing to declare interests and of paid advocacy for members of the devolved Administrations and for local councillors. Although it would not have been an infringement of privilege to have continued to have an offence, I recognise the strength of the feeling expressed in the House earlier in the week. I beg to move.