To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 12 March 2009, Official Report, column 737W, on councillors: Arun, what plans the Audit Commission has to require other local authorities to disclose the bank account details of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 12 March 2009, Official Report, column 737W, on councillors: Arun, what plans the Audit Commission has to require other local authorities to disclose the bank account details of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 17 March 2009, Official Report, column 1101W, on councillors: Arun, whether the Audit Commission plans to require local authorities to disclose the bank account details of councillors held...

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 17 March 2009, Official Report, column 1101W, on councillors: Arun, whether the Audit Commission plans to require local authorities to disclose the bank account details of councillors held...

Adjournment debate on the case of Councillor Paul Buchanan.

Adjournment debate on the case of Councillor Paul Buchanan.

Let me conclude. I recognise that investigations into allegations of misconduct impact on reputations, careers and lives; they are not undertaken lightly. I recognise, too, that there are those who would try to twist the conduct regime, which is intended to give councillors an ethical framework to work within and...

Let me conclude. I recognise that investigations into allegations of misconduct impact on reputations, careers and lives; they are not undertaken lightly. I recognise, too, that there are those who would try to twist the conduct regime, which is intended to give councillors an ethical framework to work within and...

I think it is important to have political consensus in this area. I do not wish to make cheap political points, but the hon. Gentleman will be aware that his party is committed to abolishing the Standards Board, so the idea of having a parallel system for senior officials would...

I think it is important to have political consensus in this area. I do not wish to make cheap political points, but the hon. Gentleman will be aware that his party is committed to abolishing the Standards Board, so the idea of having a parallel system for senior officials would...

It is right that I should not be able to intervene in individual cases, as that guarantees the impartiality of the conduct regime and investigation process. Although I am happy to discuss the work of the Standards Board for England and the Adjudication Panel in general terms, I will not...

It is right that I should not be able to intervene in individual cases, as that guarantees the impartiality of the conduct regime and investigation process. Although I am happy to discuss the work of the Standards Board for England and the Adjudication Panel in general terms, I will not...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Bridgwater (Mr. Liddell-Grainger) on securing the debate. I thoroughly enjoyed his speech, and it is not often that I can say that in an Adjournment debate. I am pleased that he was able to speak candidly about issues about which he feels passionate. I...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Bridgwater (Mr. Liddell-Grainger) on securing the debate. I thoroughly enjoyed his speech, and it is not often that I can say that in an Adjournment debate. I am pleased that he was able to speak candidly about issues about which he feels passionate. I...

indicated assent.

indicated assent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 19 January 2009, Official Report, columns 1072-3W, on councillors: Arun, whether the Audit Commission plans to conduct similar exercises in other local authorities in the next...

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 19 January 2009, Official Report, columns 1072-3W, on councillors: Arun, whether the Audit Commission plans to conduct similar exercises in other local authorities in the next...

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 19 January 2009, Official Report, columns 1072-3W, on councillors: Arun, whether the Audit Commission has requested councillors in other local authorities to provide their personal bank...

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 19 January 2009, Official Report, columns 1072-3W, on councillors: Arun, whether the Audit Commission has requested councillors in other local authorities to provide their personal bank...

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 19 January 2009, Official Report, column 1072W, on councillors: Arun, what the Audit Commission's basis was for the use of its statutory powers to obtain the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 19 January 2009, Official Report, column 1072W, on councillors: Arun, what the Audit Commission's basis was for the use of its statutory powers to obtain the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 19 January 2009, Official Report, column 1072W, on councillors: Arun, if she will place in the Library a copy of the Code of Data Matching Practice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 19 January 2009, Official Report, column 1072W, on councillors: Arun, if she will place in the Library a copy of the Code of Data Matching Practice.

I congratulate the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner) on securing the debate. I also congratulate him—I say this in a non-patronising way and hope that he accepts it in the spirit in which it is intended—on the tenor and manner of a speech that was made in...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner) on securing the debate. I also congratulate him—I say this in a non-patronising way and hope that he accepts it in the spirit in which it is intended—on the tenor and manner of a speech that was made in...

Without talking about specific cases, of course I can. There can be malicious complainants who understand that delay prejudices proceedings against the person complained of. I appreciate that, and so does the Standards Board. My point is that there are sometimes reasons, which we need to understand, for delays, particularly...

Without talking about specific cases, of course I can. There can be malicious complainants who understand that delay prejudices proceedings against the person complained of. I appreciate that, and so does the Standards Board. My point is that there are sometimes reasons, which we need to understand, for delays, particularly...

Westminster hall adjournment debate on the Standards Board investigation into the members of the Isle of Wight Council.

Westminster hall adjournment debate on the Standards Board investigation into the members of the Isle of Wight Council.

It is a pleasure, Mr. Key, to speak with you in the Chair the first time that I respond to a debate in my new role. I congratulate the hon. Member for Southport (Dr. Pugh) on securing this debate. He and I served on the Public Accounts Committee, on which...

It is a pleasure, Mr. Key, to speak with you in the Chair the first time that I respond to a debate in my new role. I congratulate the hon. Member for Southport (Dr. Pugh) on securing this debate. He and I served on the Public Accounts Committee, on which...

With respect, is the hon. Gentleman right? As an ex-lawyer, I am all in favour of litigation—as a Minister, I am not, I hasten to add—but there are examples in which people who could receive three points on their licence are encouraged to do a training session to avoid receiving...

With respect, is the hon. Gentleman right? As an ex-lawyer, I am all in favour of litigation—as a Minister, I am not, I hasten to add—but there are examples in which people who could receive three points on their licence are encouraged to do a training session to avoid receiving...

I can tell the hon. Gentleman, on day two in my job, that we shall shortly lay before Parliament legislation to enable the Standards Board to suspend a standards committee's local assessment of complaints functions if it believes that to be necessary. That will be a last resort, following work...

I can tell the hon. Gentleman, on day two in my job, that we shall shortly lay before Parliament legislation to enable the Standards Board to suspend a standards committee's local assessment of complaints functions if it believes that to be necessary. That will be a last resort, following work...

The hon. Gentleman raises a very important point, to which I am coming—the foundation of guilt. I think that that is the point to which he has alluded in correspondence. I understand that he has concerns that when an allegation is referred for action other than investigation, the subject of...

The hon. Gentleman raises a very important point, to which I am coming—the foundation of guilt. I think that that is the point to which he has alluded in correspondence. I understand that he has concerns that when an allegation is referred for action other than investigation, the subject of...

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on Local Government Standards Boards

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on Local Government Standards Boards