DOCSLIB.ORG

Agenda Reports Pack PDF 239 KB

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Agenda Reports Pack PDF 239 KB London Borough of Hounslow The Civic Centre Lampton Road Hounslow TW3 4DN Committee Services If you require further information about this agenda please contact: Frankie Belloli on 020 8583 2064 or at [email protected]. STANDARDS COMMITTEE A meeting of the Standards Committee will be held in the Civic Centre, Lampton Road, Hounslow on Tuesday, 14 October 2003 at 6.30pm MEMBERSHIP Cherna Crome - Chair Councillors Cheema, Clarke and Miss Reid. AGENDA 1. Apologies for absence, declarations of interest or any other communications from Members 2. Reference from the Standards Board for England (Pages 1 - 27) DECLARING INTERESTS Committee members are reminded that if they have a personal interest in any matter being discussed at the meeting they must declare the interest and if the interest is also a prejudicial interest then they may not take part in any discussion or vote on the matter. M.J. SMITH DISTRIBUTION: Council Members Chief Officers Public Press Assistant Chief Executive (Legal) 6 October 2003 Agenda Item 2 STANDARDS COMMITTEE – 14TH OCTOBER 2003 The Local Authorities (Code of Conduct) (Local Determination) Regulations 2003 Reference from the Standards Board for England Report by: the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal) Summary Following the completion of an investigation into a complaint made to the Standards Board for England, the Report of the Ethical Standards Officer has been finalised and referred to the Council’s Standards Committee for consideration. In accordance with the procedures adopted by the Committee at its last meeting, consideration must now be given to the findings and conclusion of the Ethical Standards Officer. The Committee will then need to decide what further action, if any, needs to be taken, either by way of action against the Member or by way of broader advice to the Authority about such matters. The Report sets out in brief terms the legal and other background, a brief summary of the issues including the complaint, and appends the process for consideration of the Ethical Standards Officer’s Report. A copy of the Report is also attached. Recommendations 1. a) That the Standards Committee considers the Report of the Ethical Standards Officer into the complaints made against Councillor John Connelly. b) That the Committee hears any representations and evidence given in support of Councillor Connelly’s response, in accordance with the procedure appended to the Report. c) That the Committee determine what action, if any, it is necessary to take in the light of their consideration and hearing of any representations. d) That the Committee determine any further recommendations to the Council as it considers necessary. 1 Standards Committee 14th Oct. 1. Legal Background 1.1 The Local Government Act 2000 introduced new requirements with regard to the maintenance of ethical standards by elected members of Local Authorities. In particular the Act (and Regulations under the Act) required Local Authorities to adopt a new Member Code of Conduct with regard to standards of behaviour; and set out a new framework to deal with alleged breaches of such Code of Conduct by means of investigation and reporting under the supervision of the Standards Board for England. 1.2 The Council adopted a new Member Code of Conduct in accordance with a recommended model, at its meeting on the 26th of March 2002. 1.3 As reported at the last meeting of the Committee, complaints of alleged breaches of the Code must, in the first instance, be considered by the Standards Board for England which will decide whether or not an investigation is warranted. Investigations are conducted by or under an Ethical Standards Officer appointed by the Standards Board. Following the introduction of the Local Determination Regulations in June 2003, it is now open to an Ethical Standards Officer to decide that following completion of his or her investigation, the nature of the complaint and the degree of seriousness are such that any report may be considered at local level and the determination of any action decided by Local Standards Committees. 1.4 The Standards Board has issued guidance to Local Authorities with regard to the local determination of such matters. A copy has previously been provided to Members and further copies will be available at the meeting. The guidance contains model procedures with regard to pre-hearing processes and for the conduct of a Standards Committee Hearing into the allegations and the report of the Ethical Standards Officer. A copy of the model hearing procedure was adopted at the last meeting of the Standards Committee and a copy is appended to this report as Appendix 1. 2. The Process prior to the Hearing 2.1 A complaint against Councillor Connelly was lodged with the Standards Board in May 2002 and the allegations concern an incident or incidents at the Local Elections Count on the 2nd of May 2002. 2.2 The Standards Board then referred the complaints to an Ethical Standards Officer for investigation. The investigation appears to have been somewhat protracted but included personal or telephone interviews with various elected Members and others between September 2002 and June 2003. 2.3 Councillor Connelly was apparently made aware of the general nature of the complaints in June 2002. He was interviewed by the Investigating Officer on the 15th of January 2003. Councillor Connelly was also given an opportunity to comment on the Investigating Officer’s draft report and did so by letter of the 11th of June 2003. 2 Standards Committee 14th Oct. 2.4 The Ethical Standards Officer’s report (Appendix 2) was concluded and formally referred to the Council on the 29th of July 2003 for determination in accordance with the Local Determination Regulations. 2.5 Consistent with the Standards Board Guidance for a pre-hearing process, a copy of the report was passed to Councillor Connelly in order that he could indicate whether or not he disagreed with any of the findings of fact in the Ethical Standards Officer’s report. Subsequently Councillor Connelly has indicated:- i) that he did wish to be present and make representations at the hearing by the Standards Committee; ii) that he would make representations on his own behalf at the hearing; iii) that he wished to call a substantial number of witnesses; iv) that he concurred with the Ethical Standards Officer’s view that the hearing, the report and any background papers should be in the public domain. v) Councillor Connelly has also indicated those areas of contention within the Findings of Fact in the Ethical Standards Officers report. 2.6 Copies of Councillor Connelly’s letters of the 25th of August and 29th of September 2003 are background documents. 2.7 Councillor Connelly’s response has been reported to the Standards Board, but to date there is no indication that the Ethical Standards Officer wishes to be represented at the Committee hearing. 3.0 The Model Hearing Procedure 3.1 The Guidance from the Standards Board indicates that Standards Committees should adopt procedures which are fair, open and transparent. The Committee has already adopted the model procedure by the Standards Board at its last meeting. A copy of the procedure is appended to the report. 3.2 Whilst the procedure is reasonably self-explanatory, in any given case it is open to the Committee to adapt the procedure to meet circumstances at the time – again consistent with fairness, openness and transparency. 3.3 Subject to the above, the procedure – in the briefest summary – requires:- • An introduction to the Standards Board Report by the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal) including a summary of the key points. • Any questions for clarification by the Committee. • An opening statement by the Member concerned. • Questions of the Member by the Committee. • To hear any witnesses called by the Member, followed by questions by the Committee. • A statement in conclusion by the Member concerned. 3 Standards Committee 14th Oct. 3.4 At any point, the Committee may decide that it would like to hear evidence from other persons not present at the hearing. 3.5 At the conclusion of the hearing, Members should then retire to consider their decision, to indicate the findings of fact upon which their decision is based, and if possible to indicate that decision on the day of the hearing. A written decision should follow promptly. 3.6 The Standards Board Guidance indicates that:- i) Standards Committees must control their own procedure and may not need to consider any evidence of the allegations other than the ESO’s report. ii) Standards Committees should not need to re-open the investigation. iii) Subject to fairness, the Committee may limit the number of witnesses and the evidence which is presented. iv) Normally it is suggested that hearings should be conducted in public. 4. Summary of the Complaint 4.1 Full details of the allegations and the investigation by the Ethical Standards Officer are contained in Appendix 2 to the report. These include the Final Report, Findings of Fact and Summaries of the Evidence. 4.2 As Members will see, the original complaint was lodged in May 2002 and there are 5 allegations concerning Councillor Connelly’s behaviour on the night of the 2nd of May 2002 (the evening of the Election Count). Most importantly, Members of the Committee must understand that the Final Report of the Investigating Officer, and indeed the supporting statements, necessarily deal with the entirety of the original allegations. However the Ethical Standards Officer has concluded that no action is necessary in respect of the first 4 allegations and these have not, therefore, been referred to the Standards Committee for determination. The Standards Committee has no powers in respect of these first 4 allegations.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • New Ministerial Team at the Department of Health
    New Ministerial Team at the Department of Health The Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP Secretary of State for Health Alan Johnson was first elected to Parliament in 1997 as the Member for Kingston upon Hull. A former postman, Alan Johnson served as a former General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and is one of the largest trade union names to have entered Parliament in recent decades. Often credited with the much coveted tag of being an "ordinary bloke", he is highly articulate and effective and is credited with the successful campaign that deterred the previous Conservative government from privatising the Post Office. Popular among his peers, Alan Johnson is generally regarded to be on the centre right of the Labour Party and is well regarded by the Labour leadership. As a union member of Labour's ruling NEC (up to 1996) he was seen as supportive of Tony Blair's attempts to modernise the Labour Party. He was the only senior union leader to back the abolition of Labour's clause IV. He becomes the first former union leader to become a cabinet minister in nearly 40 years when he is appointed to the Work and Pensions brief in 2004. After moving to Trade and Industry, he becomes Education and Skills Secretary in May 2006. After being tipped by many as the front-runner in the Labour deputy leadership contest of 2007, Alan Johnson was narrowly beaten by Harriet Harman. Commons Career PPS to Dawn Primarolo: as Financial Secretary, HM Treasury 1997-99, as Paymaster General, HM Treasury 1999; Department of Trade and Industry 1999-2003:
    [Show full text]
  • Schnews FRONTIÈR SANS MÉDICIN Representation
    WWACKOACKO JJACKO:ACKO: TTHEHE FULLFULL SORDIDSORDID STORYSTORY PAGESPAGES 1,1, 2,2, 3,3, 5,5, 8-138-13 Friday 3rd July 2009 Free/Donation Issue 682 Migrants face constant harassment by po- RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE lice who raid and destroy their camps, tear gas whole sections of the jungle and regu- REPORT BACK FROM THE CALAIS NO BORDERS CAMP larly arrest and detain people, taking their No Borders campaigners, calling for free- from Iraq and Afghanistan; many worked fi ngerprints before releasing them, only to dom of movement for all people and an with British forces during the occupation repeat the whole process over again. Mi- end to migration controls, culminated their and now fear persecution as collaborators. grants have no access to health care or legal week long camp in Calais (See SchNEWS FRONTIÈR SANS MÉDICIN representation. It is illegal to assist migrants 681) with a demonstration outside the city’s in any way; as a result of article L622-1 of main port last Saturday. Over 2,000 people In 2002, the French and UK authorities the French penal code anyone “aiding or took to the streets against the increasingly forcibly closed a Red-Cross run refuge facilitating either directly or indirectly the tight border controls at the channel cross- centre in Calais, the Sangette, claiming it arrival, circulation or residence of illegal ing, the bottleneck of Fortress Europe creates ‘incentives for immigrants’. Cur- immigrants in France” is a punishable with where many undocumented migrants - or rently, a couple of voluntary organisations, up to fi ve years in prison and a £25,000 fi ne.
    [Show full text]
  • The Power of the Black Vote in 2015
    POWER OF THE BLACK VOTE IN 2015 The Changing Face of England & Wales Parliamentary seats and their voters Sponsored by Table of Contents 3 Foreword - Simon Woolley 4-5 Executive Summary 6-7 List of Marginal Seats Measured by BME Impact 8 Voting and turnout 9 Methodology 10 BME Population 11 Individual BME Communities 12 Labour’s Challenge 13 Conservative’s Opportunity 14 Lib Dem’s Watershed 15 MP’s Vulnerable to BME Vote 16-63 Analysis of Parliamentary Seats © Operation Black Vote - August 2013 Researched, written and designed by Lester Holloway 2Assistance from Louise Alexander Changing Face of Britain Foreword lack and minority ethnic unemployment, education, Bvoters have been handed health and housing. the greatest opportunity ever What is also interesting about to effectively engage in British this data is the shift of where politics. BME political power has been. In Our groundbreaking research the past it was almost exclusively clearly shows that the BME vote in urban, inner city areas which could easily decide over 160 seats. barely changed political hands. The Coalition Government has Today this change is not only oc- governed the UK with a working curring in urban areas such as majority of just 83 seats. The data Croydon, Harrow and Ealing but that we are publishing therefore also outside urban areas, such speaks volumes; In a 168 marginal as Corby, Rossendale & Darwin, seats the BME electorate is larger Cheadle and Loughborough. than the majority in which the With this report we relish the seat was won. The BME electorate challenge to inspire an often cyni- could influence an even greater cal electorate to engage as never number of seats if, as predicted, before, and simultaneously to the election contest becomes ever inform our political leaders that tighter.
    [Show full text]
  • Culture, Media and Sport Committee
    House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee Future of the BBC Fourth Report of Session 2014–15 Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 10 February 2015 HC 315 INCORPORATING HC 949, SESSION 2013-14 Published on 26 February 2015 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited £0.00 The Culture, Media and Sport Committee The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its associated public bodies. Current membership Mr John Whittingdale MP (Conservative, Maldon) (Chair) Mr Ben Bradshaw MP (Labour, Exeter) Angie Bray MP (Conservative, Ealing Central and Acton) Conor Burns MP (Conservative, Bournemouth West) Tracey Crouch MP (Conservative, Chatham and Aylesford) Philip Davies MP (Conservative, Shipley) Paul Farrelly MP (Labour, Newcastle-under-Lyme) Mr John Leech MP (Liberal Democrat, Manchester, Withington) Steve Rotheram MP (Labour, Liverpool, Walton) Jim Sheridan MP (Labour, Paisley and Renfrewshire North) Mr Gerry Sutcliffe MP (Labour, Bradford South) The following Members were also a member of the Committee during the Parliament: David Cairns MP (Labour, Inverclyde) Dr Thérèse Coffey MP (Conservative, Suffolk Coastal) Damian Collins MP (Conservative, Folkestone and Hythe) Alan Keen MP (Labour Co-operative, Feltham and Heston) Louise Mensch MP (Conservative, Corby) Mr Adrian Sanders MP (Liberal Democrat, Torbay) Mr Tom Watson MP (Labour, West Bromwich East) Powers The Committee is one of the Departmental Select Committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 152.
    [Show full text]
  • Alan Keen and Ann Keen
    House of Commons Committee on Standards and Privileges Alan Keen and Ann Keen Tenth Report of Session 2009–10 Report and Appendices, together with formal minutes Ordered by The House of Commons to be printed 9 March 2010 HC 453 Published on 11 March 2010 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited £0.00 The Committee on Standards and Privileges The Committee on Standards and Privileges is appointed by the House of Commons to oversee the work of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards; to examine the arrangements proposed by the Commissioner for the compilation, maintenance and accessibility of the Register of Members’ Interests and any other registers of interest established by the House; to review from time to time the form and content of those registers; to consider any specific complaints made in relation to the registering or declaring of interests referred to it by the Commissioner; to consider any matter relating to the conduct of Members, including specific complaints in relation to alleged breaches in the Code of Conduct which have been drawn to the Committee’s attention by the Commissioner; and to recommend any modifications to the Code of Conduct as may from time to time appear to be necessary. Current membership Rt hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP (Conservative, Kensington & Chelsea) (Chairman) Rt hon Kevin Barron MP (Labour, Rother Valley) Mr Andrew Dismore MP (Labour, Hendon) Nick Harvey MP (Liberal Democrat, North Devon) Rt hon Greg Knight MP (Conservative, East Yorkshire) Mr Elfyn Llwyd MP (Plaid Cymru, Meirionnydd Nant Conwy) Mr Chris Mullin MP (Labour, Sunderland South) The hon Nicholas Soames MP (Conservative, Mid Sussex) Mr Paddy Tipping MP (Labour, Sherwood) Dr Alan Whitehead MP (Labour, Southampton Test) Powers The constitution and powers of the Committee are set out in Standing Order No.
    [Show full text]
  • British Muslims in Numbers a Demographic, Socio-Economic and Health Profile of Muslims in Britain Drawing on the 2011 Census
    British Muslims in Numbers A Demographic, Socio-economic and Health profile of Muslims in Britain drawing on the 2011 Census The Muslim Council of Britain is a national representative Muslim umbrella body with over 500 affiliated national, regional and local organisations, mosques, charities and schools. It is an independent body, established to promote consultation, cooperation and coordination on Muslim affairs in the United Kingdom. The Muslim Council of Britain is a non-sectarian body working for the common good without interfering in, displacing or isolating any existing Muslim work in the community. It is a broad-based, representative organisation of Muslims in Britain, accommodating and reflecting the variety of social and cultural backgrounds and outlook of the community. The Muslim Council of Britain is pledged to work for the common good of society as a whole; encouraging individual Muslims and Muslim organisations to play a full and participatory role in public life. The Muslim Council of Britain is a democratic body, built on consultation, co-operation and co-ordination among Muslim institutions and concerned Muslims throughout Britain. British Muslims in Numbers Lead analyst: Dr. Sundas Ali With support from: Miqdad Asaria, Dr. Perviz Asaria, Ammar Haidar, Sharhabeel Lone, Saqeb Mueen, Dr. Shuja Shafi, Dr. Khadijah Elshayyal, Dr. Jamil Sherif and AbdoolKarim Vakil. A report prepared by the Muslim Council of Britain’s Research & Documentation Committee. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced in any form or by any means, now known or hereinafter invented, including photocopying and recording or in any information, storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing of the publisher.
    [Show full text]
  • The Methodist Church of Leatherhead Cobham Effingham
    The Methodist Church of Leatherhead Cobham Effingham Page 1 Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with... Margaret Meynen as she recuperates from her second hip replacement . Congratulations to… John and Charlotte Walker on the safe arrival of Poppy on 14th December, a sister for Amelia and a second granddaughter for Freda and David. Our best wishes to… Freddie Jenkins who is delighted to announce the birth of twin great-granddaughters (see Effingham’s pages for details). Editor: Les Prescott 26 Poplar Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 8SQ Tel: Church Office - (Tues & Thurs a.m.) 01372 362145 Home - 01372 375596 Email: [email protected] All copy for the February issue to the editor by 15th January Page 2 The Ministers Write... From Rev. Ian Howarth Dear friends, This comes with every good wish to you all for 2011. This year all five churches in the pastorate are sharing taking part in a Covenant service to begin the New Year. This service comes from the Methodist tradition, and goes back to the days of John Wesley, but it is a service that in recent years has been increasingly taken up by Christians of all denominations. Unfortunately the word Covenant is used in different ways in churches, and this can lead to some confusion. For example, in Leatherhead we have a Local Ecumenical Covenant, which is the written, legal, commitment of Christ Church, LMC, and the Anglican Parish to work together and share some ministry. The Covenant service is nothing to do with this! The word Covenant means a solemn binding two-way promise, and the Covenant service is a reflection on God’s promise to us, through Jesus Christ, to be faithful and gracious, and our promise to God to give our lives to him in love and service.
    [Show full text]
  • London's Political Map 2008
    BOROUGH POLITICAL CONTROL 1998 2002 2006 LONDON’S CONSERVATIVE 4 8 14 LABOUR 18 15 7 LIBERAL DEMOCRAT 2 3 3 THE MAYOR CHAIRMAN NO OVERALL CONTROL 8 6 8 Boris Johnson LONDON COUNCILS POLITICAL Conservative Councillor Majority: 139,772 Merrick Cockell LONDON COUNCILS ENFIELD & HARINGEY MAP 2008 Joanne McCartney CHAIRMAN Merrick Cockell Labour CHIEF EXECUTIVE John O’Brien Majority: 1,402 Here’s an updated London Political www.londoncouncils.gov.uk Map following the GLA Elections on GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY 1 May 2008. We have highlighted the 14 BARNET & CAMDEN Brian Coleman London Assembly super-constituencies Conservative Majority: 19,693 THE MAYOR Boris Johnson alongside the 33 boroughs. NORTH EAST FIRST DEPUTY MAYOR & CHIEF Hackney, Islington EXECUTIVE OF THE GLA GROUP Tim Parker and Waltham Forest Jennette Arnold CHIEF EXECUTIVE Anthony Mayer (until September 2008) Labour www.london.gov.uk Majority: 28,437 HAVERING & REDBRIDGE Roger Evans Conservative LONDON WIDE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS ENFIELD Majority: 43,025 BRENT & HARROW Michael Rye Navin Shah Labour Majority: 1,649 GARETH BACON RICHARD BARNBROOK Conservative BNP BARNET Mike Freer HARROW WALTHAM FOREST David Ashton Lab/LDem coalition HARINGEY Clyde Loakes (Lab) George Meehan REDBRIDGE ANDREW BOFF VICTORIA BORWICK Alan Weinberg Conservative Conservative HAVERING Michael White BRENT EALING & HILLINGDON LDem/Con coalition HACKNEY DEE DOOCEY NICKY GAVRON Paul Lorber (LDem) CAMDEN ISLINGTON Mayor Jules Pipe (Lab) Liberal Democrat Labour Richard Barnes LDem/Con coalition LDem minority Conservative
    [Show full text]
  • Climate Change and Social Movements
    Climate Change and Social Movements Climate Change and Social Movements Civil Society and the Development of National Climate Change Policy Eugene Nulman Lecturer, Birmingham City University, UK © Eugene Nulman 2015 Foreword © Chris Rootes 2015 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6-10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2015 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Palgrave is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has com- panies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN 978-1-349-55628-1 ISBN 978-1-137-46879-6 (eBook) DOI 10.1057/9781137468796 This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources.
    [Show full text]
  • Library Closures
    ** EMBARGOED ADVANCE COPY** Not to be published in full, part, or in any form before 00.01 a.m. on Tuesday 6 November 2012 House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee Library Closures Third Report of Session 2012-13 Volume I ** EMBARGOED ADVANCE COPY** Not to be published In full, part, or in any form before 00.01 a.m. on Tuesday 6 November 2012 HC 587 House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee Library Closures Third Report of Session 2012-13 Volume I Volume I: Report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence Additional written evidence is contained in Volume II, available on the Committee website at www.parliament.uk/cmscom Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 30 October 2012 HC 587 (Incorporating HC 1815-i to iii of Session 2010-12) Published on 6 November 2012 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited £0.00 The Culture, Media and Sport Committee The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its associated public bodies. Current membership Mr John Whittingdale MP (Conservative, Maldon) (Chair) Mr Ben Bradshaw MP (Labour, Exeter) Angie Bray MP (Conservative, Ealing Central and Acton) Conor Burns MP (Conservative, Bournemouth West) Tracey Crouch MP (Conservative, Chatham and Aylesford) Philip Davies MP (Conservative, Shipley) Paul Farrelly MP (Labour, Newcastle-under-Lyme) Steve Rotheram MP (Labour, Liverpool, Walton) Mr Adrian Sanders
    [Show full text]
  • APPG Register at July 2010
    REGISTER OF ALL-PARTY GROUPS (As at 30 July 2010) REGISTER OF ALL-PARTY GROUPS PAGE 2 SECTION 1: COUNTRY GROUPS TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction............................................................................................................................... 2 The Nature of All-Party Groups ..................................................................................... 2 Purpose and Form of the ‘Register of All-Party Groups’............................................... 2 Purpose and Form of the ‘Approved List’ of Groups..................................................... 2 Administration of the Register and Approved List......................................................... 4 Section 1: Country Groups ...................................................................................................... 6 Section 2: Subject Groups...................................................................................................... 98 REGISTER OF ALL-PARTY GROUPS PAGE 3 SECTION 1: COUNTRY GROUPS INTRODUCTION The Nature of All-Party Groups All-party groups are regarded as relatively informal compared with other cross-party bodies such as select committees of the House. The membership of all-party groups mainly comprises backbench Members of the House of Commons and Lords but may also include ministers and non-parliamentarians. Groups flourish and wane according to the interests and enthusiasm of Members. Groups are classified either as subject groups (relating to a particular topic eg. forestry) or country groups (relating
    [Show full text]
  • Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
    Thursday Volume 536 24 November 2011 No. 229 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 24 November 2011 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2011 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 431 24 NOVEMBER 2011 432 Therefore, we will seek to improve them to get the best House of Commons possible outcome for taxpayers, consumers and farmers alike. Thursday 24 November 2011 Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham) (Lab): The Secretary of State will recall that that great European, Socrates, The House met at half-past Ten o’clock said that a politician who does not know the price of a bushel of wheat should not be in the job. If we got rid of PRAYERS the CAP, we would have to have a BAP—a British agricultural policy. Knowing our farming community—a [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] landowning community—and its control of top Tories, I suggest that the BAP would be far more expensive BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS than the CAP. NEW WRIT Mrs Spelman: I think we are speculating wildly about Ordered, the future of Europe. My job is to concentrate on That the Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the getting an improvement in the reforms. It is important Crown to make out a new Writ for the electing of a Member to to appreciate that the underlying objective of the CAP serve in this present Parliament for the Borough constituency of is to provide good-quality food at a reasonable price.
    [Show full text]