The Legg Inquiry- Reassessment of MP Past Allowances
I received a response today to my FOI request for information on the correspondence relating to "exceptional circumstances".http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/alan_keen_exceptional_circumstan?unfold=1" The House [ of Commons] considers that confirmation or denial of whether or not theinformation is held (and the provision of data where held) would beunfair as disclosure to the public generally would be likely to resultin trial by media. During Sir Thomas Legg's inquiry, it would beunfair on the MPs concerned to have to deal both with media speculationon such disclosures and with presenting their cases or points of view tothe inquiry and there is no guarantee that their representations inresponse to the media would be heard or published."I must admit that I had not registered that this Inquiry was happening and certainly hadn't heard of Sir Thomas Legg. Google also had relatively few references (and many were to another Inquiry into arms sales to Sierra Leone in 1998).Full information about the Inquiry appears in a Parliament Library briefing paper, "Reassessment of past ACA claims"http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/briefings/snpc-05123.pdfThe Independent apparently had an article a week ago including some of the ramifications of the Legg inquiry "MPs face the holiday from hell" :...Labour MPs warn that other MPs could go nuclear and force by-elections if they are humiliated by the Legg inquiry. "I wouldn't be surprised if more MPs charged with breaking the rules follow Ian Gibson after the summer recess," one said.Normally, MPs long for their drawn-out summer break. Many have mixed feelings about it this year. Contrary to popular belief, the majority take only two or three weeks' real holiday and spend the rest of their 12-week recess in their constituencies.Since the expenses controversy erupted in May, many have experienced a mixture of anger and coldness when visiting their seats. They don't expect public sympathy. But those whose claims did not create controversy are bitter at being tarred with the same brush as their colleagues who abused the system........http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mps-face-the-holiday-from-hell-1754406.html
Tim Henderson ● 6147d1 Comments