The Conduct of Baroness Uddin
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HOUSE OF LORDS Committee for Privileges and Conduct 6th Report of Session 2010–11 The Conduct of Baroness Uddin Ordered to be printed 18 October 2010 Published by the Authority of the House of Lords London : The Stationery Office Limited £24.50 HL Paper 39 2 6TH RPT FROM THE COMMITTEE FOR PRIVILEGES AND CONDUCT The Committee for Privileges and Conduct The Committee for Privileges and Conduct is appointed each session by the House to consider questions regarding its privileges and claims of peerage and precedence and to oversee the operation of the Code of Conduct. Detailed consideration of matters relating to the Code of Conduct is undertaken by the Sub-Committee on Lords’ Conduct. Current Membership The Members of the Committee for Privileges and Conduct are: Baroness Anelay of St Johns Lord Bassam of Brighton Lord Brabazon of Tara (Chairman) Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville Baroness D’Souza Lord Eames Lord Graham of Edmonton Lord Howe of Aberavon Lord Irvine of Lairg Lord Mackay of Clashfern Lord McNally Baroness Manningham-Buller Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Lord Scott of Foscote Lord Shutt of Greetland Lord Strathclyde The Members of the Sub-Committee on Lords’ Conduct are: Lord Cope of Berkeley Lord Dholakia Lord Irvine of Lairg Baroness Manningham-Buller (Chairman) Baroness O’Neill of Bengarve The Code of Conduct and the up-to-date Register of Lords’ Interests are on the Internet at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/ldreg.htm. General Information General information about the House of Lords and its Committees can be found at http://www.parliament.uk/lords/index.cfm. Contacts General correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Committee for Privileges and Conduct, House of Lords, London, SW1A 0PW (telephone 020 7219 8796). Correspondence relating to the work of the Sub-Committee on Lords’ Conduct should be addressed to the Clerk of the Sub-Committee on Lords’ Conduct, House of Lords, London SW1A 0PW (telephone 020 7219 8750). 6TH RPT FROM THE COMMITTEE FOR PRIVILEGES AND CONDUCT 3 CONTENTS Paragraph Page The Conduct of Baroness Uddin 11 Introduction 1 11 Process 4 11 The Sub-Committee’s findings 9 12 Lady Uddin’s appeal 18 14 Procedural failures 21 14 Bias 22 14 Standard of proof 23 14 Lack of evidence in respect of Frinton 24 15 Evidence taken before the Committee for Privileges and Conduct 25 15 Conduct of the Sub-Committee 26 15 The views of the Committee 28 15 The standard of proof 28 15 Procedural failures and bias 34 16 Findings of fact 41 18 Sanction 55 20 Redaction 61 21 Appendix: Report from the Sub-Committee on Lords’ Conduct 23 EVIDENCE Evidence considered by the Sub-Committee on Lords’ Conduct Documents Relating to the Members’ Reimbursement Scheme House of Lords Journals 25 July 1991 1 House of Lords Journals 10 November 2004 2 Members’ Reimbursement Allowance Scheme General Guide Fifth Edition October 2005 2 Members’ Reimbursement Allowance Scheme Quick Guide September 2005 14 The Clerk of the Parliaments’ Guidance on the Investigation of Complaints relating to Members’ Expenses published on 20 October 2009 15 Published Extract from the Minute of the House Committee Meeting of 26 January 2010 16 The Clerk of the Parliaments’ Report on Lord Rennard Published on 20 October 2009 17 The Clerk of the Parliaments’ Reports on Nine Members Published 9 February 2010 18 The Clerk of the Parliaments’ Reports on Four Members published 31 March 2010 21 4 6TH RPT FROM THE COMMITTEE FOR PRIVILEGES AND CONDUCT Baroness Uddin’s Claim Forms Table showing the pattern of Baroness Uddin’s claims for the reimbursement of travel expenses between May 2005 and December 2009 24 Calendars representing the days on which Baroness Uddin claimed for the reimbursement of travel 26 Finance Department summary of Baroness Uddin’s claims under the member’s reimbursement scheme from April 2003 to March 2006 30 Baroness Uddin’s claim forms 30 Article from the Sunday Times Newspaper 3 May 2009 Labour peer Baroness Uddin claims £100,000 expenses on empty flat 44 Letter of Complaint Letter from Angus Robertson MP to Mr Brendan, Registrar of Lords’ Interests, Dated 3 May 2009 45 Correspondence between Baroness Uddin, the House Authorities and the Chairman of the Sub-Committee Email from Baroness Uddin to Ms Clare Hook, House of Lords Finance Department, dated 5 May 2009 46 Email from Ms Clare Hook, House of Lords Finance Department to Baroness Uddin, dated 6 May 2009 46 Details expenses claims: attached to preceding email 47 Letter from Baroness Uddin to Mr Michael Pownall, Clerk of the Parliaments dated 6 May 2009 53 Letter from the Clerk of the Parliaments to Baroness Uddin dated 8 May 2009 53 Letter to the Clerk of the Parliaments from Baroness Uddin 19 May 2009 54 Email from Baroness Uddin to the Clerk of the Parliaments dated 2 June 2009 54 Email from the Clerk of the Parliaments to Baroness Uddin dated 3 June 2009 54 Email from Baroness Uddin to the Clerk of the Parliaments dated 16 June 2009 55 Email from the Clerk of the Parliaments to Baroness Uddin dated 16 June 2009 55 Email from Baroness Uddin to the Clerk of the Parliaments dated 17 June 2009 55 Letter from the Clerk of the Parliaments to Baroness Uddin dated 19 June 2009 55 Letter from Baroness Uddin to the Clerk of the Parliaments dated 26 June 2009 56 Letter from the Clerk of the Parliaments to Baroness Uddin dated 2 November 2009 56 6TH RPT FROM THE COMMITTEE FOR PRIVILEGES AND CONDUCT 5 Letter from Ms Maureen Buck, House of Lords Finance Department to Baroness Uddin dated 11 February 2010 56 Letter from the Clerk of the Parliaments to Baroness Manningham-Buller, Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Lords’ Interests, requesting the Sub- Committee’s assistance, dated 12 March 2010 56 Letter from Ms Maureen Buck, House of Lords Finance Department to Baroness Uddin dated 22 March 2010 57 Finance Department filing note on Baroness Uddin’s change of address by Ms Maureen Buck dated 22 March 2010 57 Letter from Mr Brendan Keith, Registrar of Lords’ Interests to Baroness Uddin dated 22 March 2010 57 Letter from Baroness Uddin to Ms Maureen Buck, House of Lords Finance Department dated 30 March 2010 59 Email from Baroness Uddin to the Registrar of Lords’ Interests dated 6 April 2010 59 Letter from Baroness Uddin to the Registrar of Lords’ Interest dated 6 April 2010: attached to preceding email 59 Email from Mr Andrew Mackersie, Clerk of the Sub-Committee on Lords’ Interests to Baroness Uddin dated 6 April 2010 59 Letter from Baroness Uddin to the Registrar of Lords’ Interests dated 7 April 2010 60 Letter from the Clerk of the Sub-Committee on Lords’ Interests to Baroness Uddin dated 8 April 2010 63 Letter from Baroness Uddin to the Registrar of Lords’ Interests dated 16 April 2010 63 Letter from the Clerk to Baroness Uddin dated 22 April 2010 64 Email from Baroness Uddin to the Clerk dated 14 April 2010 64 Attached to the preceding email: letter from Baroness Uddin to the Clerk 64 Email from the Clerk to Baroness Uddin dated 19 May 2010 65 Email from Baroness Uddin to the Clerk dated 20 May 2010 65 Attached to the preceding email: letter from Baroness Uddin to the Clerk dated 20 May 2010 65 Email from the Clerk to Baroness Uddin dated 21 May 2010 66 Letter from Baroness Uddin to Baroness Manningham-Buller, Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Lords’ Conduct dated 14 July 2010 66 Correspondence with the Sunday Times Newspaper Letter from Mr Andrew Mackersie, Clerk of the Sub-Committee on Lords’ Interests to Mr John Witherow, Editor of the Sunday Times newspaper, dated 12 March 2010 68 Letter from Mr Jonathan Calvert and Ms Claire Newell of the Sunday Times newspaper to the Clerk of the Sub-Committee on Lords’ Conduct dated 26 March 2010 68 6 6TH RPT FROM THE COMMITTEE FOR PRIVILEGES AND CONDUCT Transcript of a covert recording of an interview between Ms Claire Newell and Mr Jonathan Calvert of the Sunday Times newspaper and Mr Matthew Hollis, a neighbour of Baroness Uddin’s at her flat in Maidstone, on Tuesday 28 April 2009 at Mr Hollis’ flat 70 Transcript of a covert recording of an interview between Ms Claire Newell and Mr Jonathan Calvert and Ms Yvonne Adams, a neighbour of Baroness Uddin’s at her flat in Maidstone, on Tuesday 28 April 2009 outside Ms Adams’ flat 71 Transcript of a covert recording of an interview between Ms Claire Newell and Ms Angela Story, a neighbour of Baroness Uddin’s at her flat in Maidstone, on Tuesday 28 April 2009 at Ms Storey’s flat 73 Transcript of a covert recording of an interview between Ms Claire Newell and Mr Jonathan Calvert and Mr Ian Allcock, a neighbour of Baroness Uddin’s at her flat in Maidstone, on Tuesday 28 April 2009 outside the block of flats 74 Transcript of a covert recording of a second interview between Ms Claire Newell and Mr Jonathan Calvert and Mr Ian Allcock, a neighbour of Baroness Uddin’s at her flat in Maidstone, on Tuesday 28 April 2009 outside the block of flats 75 Transcript of a covert recording of an interview between Ms Claire Newell and Mr Jonathan Calvert and a woman neighbour of Baroness Uddin’s at her flat in Maidstone, on Tuesday 28 April 2009 outside the block of flats 79 Transcript of a covert recording of an interview between Ms Claire Newell and Mr Jonathan Calvert and Mr Ian Allcock, a neighbour of Baroness Uddin’s at her flat in Maidstone, on Wednesday 29 April 2009 outside the block of flats 79 Transcript of a covert recording of an interview between Ms Claire Newell and Mr Jonathan Calvert and Mr Joel Dunn, a neighbour of Baroness Uddin’s at her flat in Maidstone, on Wednesday 29 April 2009 at