Privileges and Conduct Committee publishes reports on five members
16 December 2013 (updated on 16 December 2013)
The House of Lords Privileges and Conduct Committee has published reports on the conduct of five members of the Lords. It recommends the suspension of two members for breaches of the Code of Conduct.
- Lords Privileges and Conduct Committee ninth report: Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate
- Lords Privileges and Conduct Committee tenth report: Lord Laird
The reports follow investigations by the independent House of Lords Commissioner for Standards into allegations made in The Sunday Times and on BBC’s Panorama. The Commissioner found that Lord Laird and Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate breached the Code of Conduct. The Privileges and Conduct Committee upheld those findings.
The Privileges and Conduct Committee recommended that Lord Laird be suspended from the House of Lords for four months and Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate be suspended for six months. On Wednesday 18 December, the House of Lords voted to agree the reports and suspensions recommended.
The Commissioner cleared Lord Cunningham of Felling and Lord O’Neill of Clackmannan of breaching the Code in two further reports, also relating to the allegations made in The Sunday Times and on BBC’s Panorama.
- Lords Privileges and Conduct Committee seventh report: Lord O’Neill of Clackmannan
- Lords Privileges and Conduct Committee eighth report: Lord Lord Cunningham of Felling
The Committee for Privileges and Conduct also published a report on Lord Oxburgh. This report is not related to the allegations in The Sunday Times and on Panorama. Lord Oxburgh is found to have breached the Code of Conduct by not registering in the Register of Lords’ Interests his position on the advisory board of the Real Asset Energy Fund. Lord Oxburgh has apologised in writing for the mistake and stood down from the advisory board. The Privileges and Conduct Committee does not recommend any further sanction.