Lords Privileges and Conduct Committee publishes report on conduct of Lord Bhatia
The House of Lords Committee for Privileges and Conduct has today published a report on the conduct of Lord Bhatia. The Committee recommends Lord Bhatia be suspended from the House of Lords for eight months.
The report follows an investigation by the independent House of Lords Commissioner for Standards, Paul Kernaghan. The Commissioner found that Lord Bhatia had breached the House of Lords' rules on financial support for members (and therefore breached the Code of Conduct) by, on 63 occasions from January to July 2010, claiming mileage expenses from the House of Lords while also claiming expenses for the same journeys from another organisation.
The Commissioner also found that in submitting the claims Lord Bhatia had breached the Code of Conduct by failing to act on his personal honour. The Committee for Privileges and Conduct upheld the Commissioner's findings.
The Committee also recommends Lord Bhatia should repay £756 in wrongly claimed mileage expenses.
The Committee's recommendations are expected to be considered by the House next week. The House of Lords will have to agree the suspension before it comes into force.
