How we are now “forbidden” from knowing about MPs' foreign trips

Michael Martin, the Speaker of the House of Commons, has started a new row over Parliamentary secrecy by blocking the release of information about foreign trips for MP’s.

The dispute started after the Commons Registrar of Members’ Interests, decided that MPs should not have to declare details of trips they make abroad as guests of the British Council, which is a taxpayer-funded body.

Since February 2007, 12 MPs have travelled overseas with the British Council to destinations including Thailand, India and Malawi, often at a cost to the taxpayer of thousands of pounds.

MPs are required to declare any hospitality they receive from outside organisations, and the British Council does not appear on a list of bodies whose gifts are exempt from the requirement.

When The Sunday Telegraph attempted to use the Freedom of Information Act to ask the Commons authorities why the trips were not being declared, Mr Martin, the Speaker, took the highly unusual action of issuing a certificate preventing the release of any information about how the decision was reached.

The document claims Parliamentary privilege to avoid releasing the information. The certificate even prevents any further investigation by the Information Commissioner, who would normally have the power to intervene.

The Speaker’s decision not to allow the release of information that campaigners claim should be in the public domain has been condemned by MPs from all parties as well as civil liberty experts.

Mr Martin has been previously criticised for trying to suppress details of MPs’ expenses, and for trying to exclude some of their work from the Freedom of Information Act.

It is not the first time that the Speaker has used this controversial certificate, as in 2006, he also issued a certificate which prevented the release of a list of MPs’ staff under Freedom of Information laws, claiming that identifying the employees would “prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs” despite the Information Commissioner ruling that there were no legitimate grounds for witholding the names. Last year, The Sunday Telegraph revealed that two MPs and a peer travelled to Bangkok with the British Council for a two-day conference, two flying first class and the other flying business class.

Documents obtained from the British Council under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that other MPs have enjoyed business and first class flights. They show that the British Council spent £5,018 on business class flights for Mark Lancaster, the Conservative MP, who travelled to Malawi in 2008.

Sally Keeble, the Labour MP, who went on the same trip, flew out economy class and returned business class at a cost of £2,452. In May 2007, Derek Wyatt was flown to India business class by the British Council at a cost of £2,142. Other MPs who have received hospitality from the British Council in the last two years include Phyllis Starkey, Tony Baldry, Denis Macshane, Charles Clarke, Edward Garnier, Patricia Hewitt and Paul Keetch.

Chris Huhne MP coming to Gosport

Shadow Home Secretary and Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh CHRIS HUHNE is the guest speaker at the Annual Dinner of Gosport Liberal Democrats, which is being held at the Alver Bank Hotel on Friday 13 February.

Huhne, who came within 500 votes of becoming the Lib Dem party leader when Ming Campbell stood down last year, prompted the recent police investigation into Labour members of the House of Lords who allegedly told undercover Sunday Times reporters they had tabled amendments to legislation for paying clients. Huhne has now asked Scotland Yard to extend its cash-for-influence investigation to cover claims made about four more members of the House of Lords.

The MP for Eastleigh this week said that the loss of 400-500 jobs at the Ford Southampton assembly plant was a "hammer blow" for the workers, their families and the local economy. He added that the latest Ford results showed that the car company was "bleeding cash" and was forced to take desperate measures, which were communicated on Wednesday to the trade unions at the plant. But he blamed the Government for worsening the situation by failing to ensure that there was credit for van purchasers.

"Last week's statement from Lord Mandelson missed the key ingredient, which is the loans that van purchasers need as they do not buy vans and cars with cash up front. A van is an investment that needs to be paid back over its lifetime," said Mr Huhne.
"Ford Credit Europe Bank has been struggling, along with other car company financing arms, to raise the cash to loan to customers. This is a key problem if the market is to be stabilised and jobs are to be saved” he added.

"These are desperate times for the car industry with collapsing sales, restricted credit and now job losses. My sympathies are with the local families whose future now looks so uncertain."

Tickets for the annual dinner are priced £22 and are available from Bob Forder on 023 9252 7965 or at r.w.forder@btinternet.com.