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Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats:Covering the constituencies of Twickenham and Richmond Park |
Hamwee quizzes Browning on registering interests and hospitality
July 23, 2011 11:31 AM
• [Jul 18] Baroness Hamwee (Liberal Democrat): THE House will understand that the Minister cannot say anything, other than she just has, about the Third Reading of the police Bill. However, in reflecting on it, as I am sure they will, will the Government reconsider the proposed timing of the introduction of their changes, particularly in London where we have these new unexpected factors in the run-up to the Olympics?
On a more detailed point, does the Minister agree that a mechanism for registering interests and hospitality that is available for inspection by everyone in public life, without investigation by the media, is of great importance? The House will understand the irony of relying on the media in this. What really matters is not what you register, but what you do.
Baroness Browning (Conservative): I quite agree with the principle that my noble friend Lady Hamwee has just espoused. Certainly, the investigations, and the recommendations that will come from them, will, I hope, show us the best way forward for things such as hospitality. Very often, these things come down to personal judgment. All of us in public life have to make a personal judgment about some of these issues, and sometimes we are bound by the spirit of the law as well as what is said in the law. I therefore hope that when we see the final results of the investigations, they will include codes and practices that encapsulate the spirit of the law as well as the law itself.
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