That this House recalls that on 3rd March 1994, commenting on the action of a Labour councillor who took part in an estimates meeting while in arrears with his council tax, Councillor Ronald Smith, the leader of the Conservative Group in Sunderland City Council said, 'I think it is absolutely deplorable. To think that he has the audacity to sit on committees and give his view on finances and he's sitting there in arrears. I think it is appalling that he should do that and it is appalling for the leader of his group to allow him to do it. If it was a member of the public, his feet wouldn't touch the ground and they would be exposed, and I see no reason why he shouldn't be exposed...even more so'; is, therefore, surprised to learn that on 22nd June 1992 Councillor Smith was summoned to appear before Sunderland magistrates for non-payment of ??673.35 in respect of non-domestic rates owing on 5 Albion Place, Sunderland; further notes that Councillor Smith took part in the estimates meeting on 11th March 1992, while in arrears; also notes that it is an offence under section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act to take part in council business relating to finance while in arrears of domestic rates; regrets that this section does not apply to non-domestic rates and believes that this loophole should be closed; and finally notes that the Labour group suspended for six months the offending Labour councillor and invites the Conservative Group to do likewise with Councillor Smith.

That this House recalls that on 3rd March 1994, commenting on the action of a Labour councillor who took part in an estimates meeting while in arrears with his council tax, Councillor Ronald Smith, the leader of the Conservative Group in Sunderland City Council said, 'I think it is absolutely...

That this House notes that on Thursday 27th October, the honourable Member for Harborough tabled EDM 1675 and that on Friday 28th October he withdrew that EDM on grounds of inaccuracy; further notes that he wrote to the honourable Member for Leicester East apologising for the inaccuracy; regrets that the new EDM he has tabled also contains errors of fact; considers it a cheek that, having tabled such Motions, the honourable Member was unavailable for comment on the mornings of either 28th October or 31st October as he was engaged in his other employment at the Bar, and wonders how he can spare the time to come to the House in view of his busy legal practice; deplores the attempts by an honourable Member who draws most of his work as a barrister from defamation cases either for or against newspapers to seek to influence the Press Complaints Commission over a complaint that is currently before it; notes the serious allegations of malpractice against the honourable Member in respect of his constituency duties which are currently being investigated; hopes that in future the honourable Member will show to his clients a better standard of accuracy and availability than he shows his parliamentary duties; and calls upon the Secretary of State for National Heritage to ask the Press Complaints Commission for a report on the matter, the Prime Minister to publish the report on the conduct of the honourable Member and on the honourable Member to apologise for his disgraceful conduct.

That this House notes that on Thursday 27th October, the honourable Member for Harborough tabled EDM 1675 and that on Friday 28th October he withdrew that EDM on grounds of inaccuracy; further notes that he wrote to the honourable Member for Leicester East apologising for the inaccuracy; regrets that the...

That this House notes that the honourable Member for Leicester East made a complaint to the Press Complaints Commission in respect of an article published by the Sunday Times for 22nd May which revealed that he had engineered the removal of the Leader of Leicester City Council, Mr Peter Soulsby, that the honourable Member's complaint was withdrawn, and that such withdrawal vindicates the Sunday Times and its reporting of the honourable Member's part in the removal from office of Mr Soulsby; congratulates the Sunday Times on its reporting upon the activities of the honourable Member; and calls upon the Leader of the Opposition to publish the evidence adduced before and the findings of the Labour Party inquiry into the City of Leicester Labour Party and allegations of malpractice made of the honourable Member without delay.

That this House notes that the honourable Member for Leicester East made a complaint to the Press Complaints Commission in respect of an article published by the Sunday Times for 22nd May which revealed that he had engineered the removal of the Leader of Leicester City Council, Mr Peter Soulsby,...

That this House notes that the honourable Member for Leicester East made a complaint to the Press Complaints Commission in respect of any article published by the Sunday Times for 22nd May which revealed that he had engineered the removal of the leader of Leicester City Council, Mr Peter Soulsby, that the honourable Member's complaint was rejected by the Press Complaints Commission, and that such rejection vindicates the Sunday Times and its reporting of the honourable Member's part in the removal from office of Mr Soulsby; congratulates the Sunday Times on its reporting upon the activities of the honourable Member; and calls upon the Leader of the Opposition to publish the evidence adduced before and the findings of the Labour Party inquiry into the City of Leicester Labour Party and allegations of malpractice made of the honourable Member without delay.

That this House notes that the honourable Member for Leicester East made a complaint to the Press Complaints Commission in respect of any article published by the Sunday Times for 22nd May which revealed that he had engineered the removal of the leader of Leicester City Council, Mr Peter Soulsby,...

That this House notes that Brent Conservative councillor, Mr Bill Duffin, the current Chair of the Housing Committee and former Tory councillor, Leslie Winters, failed to declare a financial interest in a planning application by their employer which they promoted in the council; notes that Tory councillor, Mr David Tobert, was in breach of the council's code of conduct for members involved in planning applications; further notes that the current Tory group leader, Mr Bob Blackman, has blatantly ignored the Prime Minister's call for Tories to oppose sleaze and corruption by refusing to condemn this breach of the electorate's trust; calls on the Prime Minister to make good his promises to rid the Conservative Party of sleaze and corruption by taking immediate firm action against Tories on Brent Council in accordance with his statement to the House made on Tuesday 18th October in Prime minister's Questions; and regrets that Tory rule in Brent has sullied the name of the area, associating it with bribery, corruption and a complete lack of principle in the pursuit of power.

That this House notes that Brent Conservative councillor, Mr Bill Duffin, the current Chair of the Housing Committee and former Tory councillor, Leslie Winters, failed to declare a financial interest in a planning application by their employer which they promoted in the council; notes that Tory councillor, Mr David Tobert,...

That this House notes that two Brent Conservative councillors, Mr Bill Duffin, the current Chair of the Housing Committee, and Mr David Tobert, have failed to declare a financial interest in a planning application by their employer which they promoted in the council; further notes that the current Tory group leader Mr Bob Blackman has blatantly ignored the Prime Minister's call for Tories to oppose sleaze and corruption by refusing to condemn this breach of the electorate's trust; calls on the Prime Minister to make good his promises to rid the Conservative Party of sleaze and corruption by taking immediate firm action against Tories on Brent Council in accordance with his statement to the House made on Tuesday 18th October in Prime Minister's Questions; and regrets that Tory rule in Brent has sullied the name of the area, associating it with bribery, corruption and a complete lack of principle in the pursuit of power.

That this House notes that two Brent Conservative councillors, Mr Bill Duffin, the current Chair of the Housing Committee, and Mr David Tobert, have failed to declare a financial interest in a planning application by their employer which they promoted in the council; further notes that the current Tory group...

That this House notes that the decision of Brent Council's Development Control sub-committee to ignore the advice of their officers and grant planning permission to Mr Jim Carlon for the use of The Kingdom, 229 Kilburn High Road, as a restaurant is contrary to the policy of the council on the grounds of loss of residential accommodation, opposition to any further A3 uses on Kilburn High Road, intensification of existing use beyond a satisfactory level in terms of noise and disturbance to residents and increased parking; records its respect for councillors Janice Long (Labour) and Peter Nelke (Conservative) who opposed the decision; invites councillors Sayer (Conservative), Joseph (Labour), Maloney (Labour), Tobert (Conservative) and Cummings (Lib-Dem) to explain the reasons for their decision which has reinforced public concern at the extent of corruption in Brent Council which is so extensive that the Development Control Sub-committee has become known as the brown envelope committee.

That this House notes that the decision of Brent Council's Development Control sub-committee to ignore the advice of their officers and grant planning permission to Mr Jim Carlon for the use of The Kingdom, 229 Kilburn High Road, as a restaurant is contrary to the policy of the council on...

That this House notes with concern the activities of local developer Mr Jim Carlon in the use of his influence within local political parties to control the planning decisions of Brent Council, in particular his attempt to pack the local Kilburn ward Labour Party selection meeting to ensure the reselection of former councillor M. Rashid, who had consistently voted to overturn local planning guidelines in order to benefit speculative developers by registering six members who he claimed lived at The Kingdom, 229 Kilburn High Road; further notes that when visited by a Labour Party official to inform him of the disqualification of these phoney members he was in the company of Councillor John Warren, former Tory deputy leader of the council and former councillor Leslie Winters (Conservative); further notes that Councillor B. Duffin (Conservative) records his employment by Jim Carlon in his entry in the members' register of interests; and calls on all Brent councillors to sever their links with Mr Carlon.

That this House notes with concern the activities of local developer Mr Jim Carlon in the use of his influence within local political parties to control the planning decisions of Brent Council, in particular his attempt to pack the local Kilburn ward Labour Party selection meeting to ensure the reselection...