RECTIFICATION 1 Contents Summary 2 Mr Tim Farron MP: Resolution Letter 3 Letter from the Commissioner to the complainant, 21 April 2021 3 5 Written evidence 4 1. Email from the complainant to the Commissioner, 3 March 2021 4 2. Letter from the Commissioner to Mr Tim Farron MP, 9 March 2021 5 3. Letter from Mr Tim Farron MP to the Commissioner, 17 March 2021 12 4. Letter from the Commissioner to Mr Tim Farron MP, 18 March 2021 14 10 5. Email from Mr Tim Farron MP to the Commissioner, 29 March 2021 16 RECTIFICATION 2 Summary The allegation I investigated, following a complaint from a member of the public, was that the Member had failed to register four interests (all donations) within the time limit contained in the Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members. 5 This allegedly put the Member in breach of the requirements of Paragraph 14 of the Code of Conduct. I upheld the allegation. I concluded, and the Member agreed, that all four interests had been registered outside the 28-day time limit required by Paragraph 2 of Chapter 1 of the Guide to 10 the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members. I was satisfied that the late registration of each interest amounted to a breach of the requirement set by the House and a breach of Paragraph 14 of the Code. The Member accepted my decision, acknowledged his breaches of the Rules, and apologised for these breaches. The Member also explained the steps he has taken 15 to ensure that future interests are registered within the time limit set by the House. The Member has also agreed to the annotation of the relevant interests in the Register of Members' Financial Interests to show that they have been subject to an inquiry. I considered the Member's apology and remedial actions to be an appropriate outcome and I have concluded the matter by way of the rectification 20 procedure available to me under Standing Order No. 150. RECTIFICATION 3 Mr Tim Farron MP: Resolution Letter Letter from the Commissioner to the complainant, 21 April 2021 I wrote to you on 9 March 2021 to tell you that I had begun an inquiry into your allegation that Mr Tim Farron MP had breached paragraph 14 of the House of 5 Commons' Code of Conduct for Members by failing to register three donations within the time limit set by the House. Having investigated this matter, and also considered an additional donation, I found that Mr Farron has breached the Code. I concluded, and Mr Farron agreed, that all four donations had been registered outside the 28-day time limit required by 10 Paragraph 2 of Chapter 1 of the Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members. I was satisfied that the late registration of each interest amounted to a breach of paragraph 14 of the Code and I therefore uphold your allegation. My full decision and rationale will be published on my webpage in due course, which will include the correspondence I exchanged with Mr Farron. 15 Mr Farron has accepted my decision. He has acknowledged his breaches of the rules, apologised, and agreed to the annotation of these interests to show that they have been subject to an inquiry. I have therefore concluded the matter by way of the rectification procedure available to me under Standing Order No. 150. I will notify the Committee on Standards in due course of this outcome. 20 21 April 2021 RECTIFICATION 4 Written evidence 1. Email from the complainant to the Commissioner, 3 March 2021 I wish to raise an issue with regard to Tim Farron MP and his declarations in the MP’s Register of Interests 5 From looking at the latest Register, he has declared several donations late and well beyond the 28 days in which they should be registered Below are the 3 declarations that are late: Name of donor: Faith in Public Ltd Address of donor: 10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R 1BE 10 Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: The services of a public relations company to the value of £14,400 Date received: 1 March 2020 - 28 February 2021 Date accepted: 1 March 2020 Donor status: company, registration 11134849 15 (Registered 19 February 2021) Name of donor: Faith in Public Ltd Address of donor: 10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R 1BE Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: The services of two policy advisers for a total of 30 hours a week between 1 20 April 2020 and 11 December 2020, and 22.5 hours a week between 1 January 2021 and 31 March 2021, total value £22,918 Date received: 1 April 2020 - 31 March 2021 Date accepted: 1 April 2020 Donor status: company, registration 11134849 RECTIFICATION 5 (Registered 19 February 2021) Name of donor: Faith in Public Ltd Address of donor: 10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R 1BE Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: The 5 services of an intern for 22.5 hours a week between 1 September 2020 and 31 July 2021, value £11,368 Date received: 1 September 2020 - 31 July 2021 Date accepted: 1 September 2020 Donor status: company, registration 11134849 10 (Registered 19 February 2021) The date of the registrations are 19th February 2021, yet the acceptance of these donations were 1st March 2020, 1st April 2020 and 1st September 2020 I feel that the late registration of these donations breach of the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament and should be investigated. 15 3 March 2021 2. Letter from the Commissioner to Mr Tim Farron MP, 9 March 2021 Following receipt of an allegation I have received from [the complainant] about your compliance with paragraph 14 of the House of Commons Code of Conduct for Members, I have decided to open a formal inquiry. I enclose a copy of [the 20 complainant's] submission and a copy of your current entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. In addition to the interests highlighted by [the complainant], I also intend to include in my inquiry the donation made to you by The Refugee, Asylum and Migration Policy Project (RAMP) on 1 January 2021. 25 The scope of my inquiry My inquiry will focus on whether you have acted in breach of paragraph 14 of the House of Commons’ Code of Conduct for Members through the late registration of financial interests. If the scope of my inquiry changes, I will update you in writing. RECTIFICATION 6 The relevant rules of the House The overarching rules are found in the House of Commons’ Code of Conduct for Members. Paragraph 14 of the Code states: Members shall fulfil conscientiously the requirements of the House in 5 respect of the registration of interests in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. They shall always be open and frank in drawing attention to any relevant interest in any proceeding of the House or its Committees, and in any communications with Ministers, Members, public officials or public office holders. 10 The Guide to the rules relating to the conduct of Members, which is appended to the Code, contains more detail about the registration of financial interests. Chapter 1, paragraph 2 outlines the requirement of the House in relation to the timeframe for registering new interests: The House requires new Members, within one month of their election, 15 to register all their current financial interests, and any registrable benefits (other than earnings) received in the 12 months before their election. After that, Members are required to register within 28 days any change in those registrable interests. Such a change includes both the acquisition of a new interest and the ceasing of any registered 20 interest, for example because an employment has ceased or because a holding has reduced in value or been sold. Next steps I would welcome your comments on the allegation that your late registration of the interests highlighted by [the complainant], and the further interest highlighted by 25 me, amount to breaches of paragraph 14 of the Code of Conduct for Members. I would also be grateful for your answers to the following specific questions: (1) Are you aware of the requirement to register all new financial interests within 28 days of acquisition? (2) What prompted you to register the three donations from Faith in Public 30 on 19 February 2021? (3) What prompted you to register the donation from The Refugee, Asylum and Migration Policy Project (RAMP) on 19 February 2021? (4) Please can you outline the circumstances that caused these interests to be registered late? RECTIFICATION 7 (5) If, on reflection, you accept that these interests were registered outside of the House’s deadline, please can you confirm what steps you will now take to prevent any further late registrations? (6) Are you satisfied that your current entry in the Register of Members’ 5 Financial Interests is complete and accurate in all other respects and in line with Chapter 1 of the Guide to the rules? i) If it is not, please contact the Registrar now to bring it up to date. ii) If it is, please describe the steps you have taken to satisfy yourself of this. 10 It would be helpful to receive any evidence to support your responses when you reply to this letter. Any other points you wish to make to help me with this inquiry would also be welcome. Important information owing the decision taken by the House 15 on 19 July 2018, I will not publish the fact that I am conducting an inquiry into an My inquiries are conducted in private.