Minutes of Proceedings Session

Transcription

1 House of Commons Constitutional Affairs Committee Minutes of Proceedings Session

2 The Constitutional Affairs Committee The Constitutional Affairs Committee (previously the Committee on the Lord Chancellor s Department) is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Constitutional Affairs and associated public bodies. Membership Mr Alan Beith MP (Liberal Democrat, Berwick-upon-Tweed) (Chairman) MP (Conservative, Hornchurch) MP (Liberal Democrat, Cambridge) Siân James MP (Labour, Swansea East) (added ) MP (Labour, Worsley) (discharged ) MP (Labour, Ealing Southall) Jessica Morden MP (Labour, Newport East) MP (Labour, Cardiff North) MP (Conservative, Chichester) MP (Labour, Leicester East) MP (Labour, Southampton Test) MP (Conservative, Rugby and Kenilworth) Powers The Committee is one of the departmental select committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 152. These are available on the Internet via Publications The reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the internet at Committee staff The current staff of the Committee are Roger Phillips (Clerk), Dr John Gearson (Second Clerk), Richard Poureshagh (Committee Assistant), Anne Woolhouse (Secretary), Tes Stranger (Senior Office Clerk) and Jessica Bridges-Palmer (Committee Media Officer). Contacts Correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Constitutional Affairs Committee, House of Commons, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA. The telephone number for general enquiries is and the address is conaffcom@parliament.uk Media enquiries can be addressed to Jessica Bridges-Palmer, Committee Media Officer, House of Commons, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA. Telephone number and address bridgespalmerj@parliament.uk

3 1 Proceedings of the Committee Tuesday 19 July 2005 Members present Mr Alan Beith Ms Jessica Morden 1. Declaration of interests Members declared their pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests, pursuant to the Resolution of the House of 13 July Election of chairman Mr Alan Beith was called to the Chair. 3. Working practices Resolved, That the Committee s usual meeting time should be 4.00 pm on Tuesdays, with the public evidence sessions to start at 4.15pm. 4. Future programme Resolved, That the Committee inquire into the small claims track in the County Courts. Resolved, That the Committee inquire into the Department for Constitutional Affairs departmental annual report for 2006, and that the Secretary of State be invited to give oral evidence. Resolved, That the Committee arrange a visit to the Department for Constitutional Affairs, Selborne House. Resolved, That the Committee hold a reception and invite a prominent speaker. [Adjourned till Tuesday 11 October at 4.00 pm

4 2 Tuesday 11 October 2005 Members present Jessica Morden 1. Declaration of interests MP declared updated interests as follows: (4) Sponsorship or financial or material support; The GMB union paid for the printing of a newsletter, spring Working practices Resolved, That: Members of the public be admitted during the examination of witnesses unless the Committee otherwise orders persons and organisations submitting memoranda have leave to publish their memoranda unless the Committee otherwise orders memoranda accepted as evidence by the Committee be placed on the Committee s website, whenever possible, at the start of the relevant inquiry, and the minutes of the Committee be placed on the Committee s website, whenever possible shortly after the relevant meeting; provided that any information of a sensitive nature be omitted, but included in the Sessional minutes, if the original reason for withholding the information no longer applies. 3. Appointment of specialist advisers Resolved, That the Committee re-appoint Professor Colin Rallings and David Godfrey as specialist advisers for its inquiry into the Electoral Administration Bill and related matters. 4. Westminster Hall debate family justice

5 3 Resolved, That the Committee bid for a debate to be held on its report into Family Justice: the operation of the family courts, on a date to be proposed by the Liaison Committee. 5. Small claims Resolved, That the Committee report the written evidence received thus far to the House. 1) Georgina Squire, Chair, Civil Litigation Committee, Law Society, Allan Gore QC, President, Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and James Sandbach, Social Policy Officer (Legal Affairs), Citizens Advice; and 2) District Judge Michael Walker, Hon Secretary and District Judge David Oldham, Chairman of Civil Committee, Association of District Judges gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 18 October at 9.30 am Tuesday 18 October 2005 Members present Jessica Morden 1. Declaration of interests declared updated interests as follows: (8) Land and Property; House in Essex, from which rental income is received. declared updated interests as follows: (2) Remunerated employment, office, profession etc; writer on legal topics; (4) Sponsorship or financial or material support; Donations to my constituency party from: Mr Raymond A ( Max ) Boyce and Mr David Neale Upstone.

6 4 2. Future programme Resolved, That the Committee inquire into conditional fees arrangements and the growth in the use of legal proceedings to seek compensation for personal injury and other damages, termed the compensation culture. Resolved, That the Committee inquire into the Electoral Administration Bill and the work of the Electoral Commission. 3. Committee reception Resolved, That the Committee hold a reception on Thursday 19 January 2006 from 6.30 pm. 4. Department for Constitutional Affairs: key policies and priorities Rt Hon Lord Falconer of Thoroton QC, Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, and Lord Chancellor, and Alex Allan, Permanent Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 1 November at 4.00 pm Tuesday 1 November 2005 Members present Jessica Morden 1. Chairman s absence Resolved, That, in the absence of the Chairman on Wednesday 2 November, Dr Alan Whitehead would take the Chair.

7 5 2. Electoral registration: armed forces (letter from the Lord Chancellor) 3. Future programme Resolved, That the Committee hold an oral evidence session on the work of the Judge Advocate General. 4. Small claims Baroness Ashton of Upholland, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, and Mark Ormerod, Director, Civil and Family and Customer Services, Her Majesty s Courts Service (HMCS), gave oral evidence. Wednesday 2 November 2005 Members present, in the Chair [Adjourned till tomorrow at 9.30 am Jessica Morden 1. Electoral administration Resolved, That the Committee report memoranda to the House. Sam Younger, Chairman, and Peter Wardle, Chief Executive, the Electoral Commission, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 8 November at 1.30 pm at Selborne House

8 6 Tuesday 8 November 2005 The Committee met in Selborne House, Department for Constitutional Affairs Members present Jessica Morden 1. Appointment of specialist advisers Resolved, That the Committee appoint Professor Anthony Dugdale, Mr Edward Faulks QC and Mr John Leighton Williams QC as specialist advisers for its inquiry into compensation culture and related matters. [Adjourned till Tuesday 15 November at 4.00 pm Tuesday 15 November 2005 Members present 1. Future programme Resolved, That the Committee inquire into the coroners system. Resolved, That the Committee seek to visit Canada and the USA in March 2006, in connection with its inquiry into coroners. Resolved, That the Committee inquire into the operation of the Freedom of Information legislation and regulatory regime. 2. Commission for Equality and Human Rights

9 7 3. Electoral Administration Malcolm Dumper, Policy & External Affairs Director, Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA), and David Monks, Chief Executive, Huntingdonshire DC and Chairman of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (SOLACE) Electoral Matters Panel, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 22 November at 4.00 pm

10 8 Tuesday 22 November 2005 Jessica Morden 1. National Archives 2. Small claims Draft report (The courts: small claims), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read. The draft report was agreed to; the formal Minutes relating to its consideration are published alongside the report, HC 519. [Adjourned till Tuesday 29 November at 4.00 pm Tuesday 29 November 2005 Members present Jessica Morden 1. Home Affairs Committee inquiry into immigration control The Committee took note of the terms of reference of the Home Affairs Committee s inquiry into immigration control. 2. Visit to USA and Canada Resolved, That the Committee seek to visit the USA and Canada in connection with its inquiry into compensation culture.

11 9 3. Compensation culture: specialist advisers interests 4. Compensation culture: written evidence Resolved, That memoranda be reported to the House. 5. Office of the Judge Advocate General His Honour Judge Jeff Blackett, Judge Advocate General gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 6 December at 4.00 pm Tuesday 6 December 2005 Members present Jessica Morden 1. Office of the Judge Advocate General Draft report (The Office of the Judge Advocate General), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read. The draft report was agreed to; the formal Minutes relating to its consideration are published alongside the report, HC Visit by the Standing Committee for Constitutional Affairs in the Italian Chamber of Deputies 3. Compensation culture Rt Hon Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, Lord Chief Justice, and Judge Peter Hurst, Senior Costs Judge, gave oral evidence; District Judge Michael Walker and District Judge David Oldham, Association of District Judges, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 13 December at 3.45 pm

12 10 Tuesday 13 December Compensation culture: visit to the USA and Canada 2. Visit by the Standing Committee for Constitutional Affairs in the Italian Chamber of Deputies 3. Westminster Hall debate: family justice 4. Compensation culture Anna Rowland and David Marshall, The Law Society; Richard Langton, Vice-President, Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL); Tony Goff, Vice-Chairman, Motor Accident Solicitors Society (MASS); David Foskett QC and Stephen Worthington, The Bar Council, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 10 January at 4.00 pm Tuesday 10 January 2006 Jessica Morden 1. Department for Constitutional Affairs: winter supplementary estimate

13 11 2. Freedom of information The Committee considered this matter Resolved, That the Committee visit Edinburgh, and seek to visit Dublin, in connection with its inquiry into freedom of information. 3. Westminster Hall debate: family justice 4. Compensation culture Resolved, That further memoranda be reported to the House. Nick Starling, Director of General Insurance, and Justin Jacobs, Head of Motor, Liability and Risk Pricing, Association of British Insurers (ABI); Dominic Clayden, Director of Technical Claims, Norwich Union; Phil Ruse, Divisional Manager, Allianz Cornhill; Jonathan Rees, Deputy Chief Executive and Colin Douglas, Director of Communications, Health and Safety Executive; Dr Justin Davis-Smith, Deputy Chief Executive, Volunteering England, and Derek Twine, Chief Executive of the Scout Association, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 17 January at 4.00 pm Tuesday 17 January 2006 Members present Jessica Morden 1. Future programme 2. Compensation culture Stephen Walker, Chief Executive, and John Mead, Technical Claims Director, National Health Service Litigation Authority; Teresa Perchard, Director of Policy, and James

14 12 Sandbach, Social Policy Officer (Legal Issues), Citizens Advice, and Adam Griffith, Policy Officer, (Legal Services), Advice Services Alliance, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 24 January at 4.00 pm Tuesday 24 January Reform of coroners system: appointment of specialist adviser Resolved, That Paul Matthews, Visiting Professor, King s College, University of London and Christopher Dorries, HM Coroner for South Yorkshire (West), be appointed as Specialist Advisers to assist the Committee in its inquiry into the Reform of the Coroners System. 2. Freedom of information 3. Future programme Resolved, That the Committee inquire into the Legal Services Commission. [Adjourned till Tuesday 31January at 4.00 pm Tuesday 31 January 2006

15 13 1. Freedom of information 2. Reform of coroners system: death certification arrangements Resolved, to expand the remit of the inquiry into the coroners system to include death certification. 3. Future programme: extraordinary rendition 4. Compensation culture Baroness Ashton of Upholland, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, and Rt Hon Jane Kennedy MP, Minister of State for Quality and Safety, Department of Health, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 7 February at 4.00 pm Tuesday 7 February 2006 Jessica Morden 1. Work of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal 2. Freedom of information: visit to Dublin

16 14 3. Compensation culture 4. Future programme: oral evidence from the Lord Chancellor 6. Reform of coroners system and death certification Michael Burgess, HM Coroner for Surrey, and Rt Hon Dame Janet Smith gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 14 February at 4.00 pm Tuesday 14 February Future programme 2. Work of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal 4. Legal Services Commission Brian Harvey, Acting Chief Executive, Crispin Passmore, Director, Community Legal Service, Legal Services Commission, and Amanda Finlay, Director, Legal Aid Strategy Directorate, Department for Constitutional Affairs, gave oral evidence. 5. Compensation culture Draft report (Compensation culture), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

17 15 The draft report was agreed to; the formal Minutes relating to its consideration are published alongside the report, HC 754. [Adjourned till Tuesday 28 February at 4.00 pm Tuesday 28 February Legal Services Commission: removal of specialist support services Draft report (Legal Services Commission: removal of the specialist support services), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read. The draft report was agreed to; the formal Minutes relating to its consideration are published alongside the report, HC Future programme: visit to Scotland 3 Visit by the Finnish Constitutional Law Committee 4. Department for Constitutional Affairs: key policies and priorities Rt Hon Lord Falconer of Thoroton QC, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State, and Alex Allan, Permanent Secretary, DCA gave oral evidence [Adjourned till Tuesday 14 March at 4.00 pm

18 16 Tuesday 14 March 2006 Jessica Morden 1. Future programme 2. Freedom of information Richard Thomas, Information Commissioner, Graham Smith, Deputy Commissioner, and Jane Durkin, Casework and Advice Division, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 21 March at 4.00 pm Tuesday 21 March 2006 Dr Whitehead 1. Future programme 2. Work of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal Sir Henry Hodge OBE, President, Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and Sir Andrew Collins, Lead Judge, Administrative Court gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 28 March at 4.00 pm

19 17 Tuesday 28 March Legal Services Commission: response on removal of specialist support services Resolved, That the Committee publish the letter from Brian Harvey, Acting Chief Executive of the LSC, relating to its Fourth Report (First Special Report of Session , HC 1029). 2. Future programme: party funding 3. Freedom of information Maurice Frankel, Director, Campaign for the Freedom of Information, Steve Wood, Editor, Freedom of Information Act Blog and David Hencke, journalist, The Guardian; Dr Lydia Pollard, Improvement and Development Agency (I&DeA), Tracy Phillips, Senior Information Manager, Islington Council; DCC Ian Readhead, Deputy Chief Constable of Hampshire and Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and DI Paul Brooks; Natalie Ceeney, Chief Executive, Dr David Thomas, Director of Collections and Technology and Susan Healy, Head of Information Policy and Legislation, The National Archives, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 18 April at 4.00 pm

20 18 Tuesday 18 April Future programme: party funding 2. Specialist Advisers Resolved, That the Committee re-appoint Professor Andrew Le Sueur as a specialist adviser. 3. Party funding: memoranda Resolved, That memoranda be reported to the House. 4. Freedom of information Baroness Ashton of Upholland, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, DCA gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till tomorrow at 4.00 pm Tuesday 19 April 2006 Jessica Morden

21 19 1. Future programme: party funding 2. Freedom of information Rt Hon Lord Falconer of Thoroton, Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor, and Alex Allan, Permanent Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 25 April at 4.00 pm Tuesday 25 April Party funding 2. Freedom of information 3. Reform of the coroners system and death certification: visit to Yorkshire 4. Reform of the coroners system and death certification Tom Luce CB, Chairman of the Review of Coroners Services, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 2 May at 4.00 pm

22 20 Tuesday 2 May Future programme 2. Declaration of interest declared that he was a non-practising barrister and that his wife held a parttime judicial appointment. 3. Family justice Rt Hon Sir Mark Potter, President, Family Division; Hon Mr Justice Munby; District Judge (Magistrates Courts); Nicholas Crichton and Audrey Damazer, Justices Clerks Society, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 16 May at 4.00pm Tuesday 16 May Future programme 2. Declarations of interest The Chairman referred members of the public to the Register of Members Interests in respect of all members of the Committee in relation to the inquiry into party funding.

23 21 3. Party funding Sir Hayden Phillips, GCB; Sam Younger, Chairman, and Peter Wardle, Chief Executive, The Electoral Commission; Frank Hindle, Deputy Chair, Northern Regional Liberal Democrats; Colleen Fletcher, North East Coventry Labour Party, and David Simpson, Conservative Campaign HQ, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 6 June at 4.00 pm Tuesday 6 June Party funding Resolved, That the Committee seek to visit the USA and Canada in November or December 2006 in connection with its inquiry into party funding. Resolved, That the Committee appoint Christopher Sallon QC as a specialist adviser in connection with its inquiry into party funding and related matters. 2. Future programme Resolved, That the Committee seek oral evidence from Baroness Prashar on the work of the Judicial Appointments Commission. Resolved, That the Committee seek oral evidence from the Lord Chancellor and Leader of the House. 2. Family justice Draft report (Family Justice: the operation of the family courts revisited), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

24 22 The draft report was agreed to; the formal Minutes relating to its consideration are published alongside the report, HC Party funding Deputy Assistant Commissioner John Yates, Superintendent Graham McNulty, Metropolitan Police, and Mr Asker Husain, gave oral evidence in private. [Adjourned till Tuesday 13 June at 3.45 pm Tuesday 13 June Freedom of information Draft report (Freedom of Information one year on), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read. The draft report was agreed to; the formal Minutes relating to its consideration are published alongside the report, HC Future programme: party funding 3. Reform of coroners system and death certification Victor Round, Honorary Secretary, Coroners Society of England and Wales and HM Coroner for Worcester; Chief Constable Peter Fahy, Association of Chief Police Officers; Councillor Bryony Rudkin and Steve Charteris, Local Government Association and Christine Hurst, Chair, Coroners Officers Association, gave evidence [Adjourned till Tuesday 20 June at 3.45pm

25 23 Tuesday 20 June 2006 Jessica Morden 1. Future programme 2. Oral evidence from the Judicial Appointments Commission 3. Department for Constitutional Affairs departmental annual report Reform of coroners system and death certification Dr Michael Wilks, Chairman Medical Ethics Committee; Dr John Grenville, General Practitioners Committee; Dr Anne Thorpe, Chair Central Consultants and Specialists Committee Pathology Sub-Committee; Dr Andrew Davison, Forensic Medicine Committee, British Medical Association, and Dr Gina Radford, East of England Regional Director of Public Health, Department of Health, gave oral evidence [Adjourned till Thursday 22 June at am Tuesday 22 June Future programme

26 24 2. Party funding Lord Razzall CBE, Lord Marland and Lord Levy, gave oral evidence in private. [Adjourned till Tuesday 27 June at 4.00 pm Tuesday 27 June Future programme 2. Reform of coroners system and death certification Phillip Noyes, Director of Public Policy; Lucy Thorpe, Policy Manager, NSPCC; Pip Finucane, Trustee, Victim s Voice, and Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP, Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 4 July at 3.30 pm Tuesday 4 July 2006 Members present 1. Reform of coroners system and death certification The Committee agreed a draft heads of report relating to Reform of coroners system and death certification (draft Coroners Bill).

27 25 2. Party funding Resolved, That members of the Committee would not be circulated with the evidence of Thursday 22nd June but that they would be given the opportunity of inspecting the evidence in the Committee staff offices in order to make corrections. The Committee also agreed that the evidence would not be published until at least the autumn. 3. Work of the Department for Constitutional Affairs Rt Hon Lord Falconer of Thoroton, a Member of the House of Lords, Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor, and Alex Allan, Permanent Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, gave oral evidence. 4. Party Funding Rt Hon Jack Straw MP, Leader of the House of Commons, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 18 July at 3.45pm Tuesday 18 July 2006 Members present Siân James 1. Declaration of interests Mrs Sian James declared her interests as follows: 8. Land and Property: a house in Neath. 2. Operation of the Judicial Appointments Commission Baroness Prashar CBE, Chairman, Rt Hon Lord Justice Auld, Vice-Chairman, and Sara Nathan, Lay Commissioner, Judicial Appointments Commission gave evidence.

28 26 3. Reform of coroners system and death certification Draft report (Reform of the coroners system and death certification), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read. The draft report was agreed to; the formal Minutes relating to its consideration are published alongside the report, HC 902. [Adjourned till tomorrow at 4.30pm Wednesday 19 July 2006 Siân James Piara Khabra 1. Inquiry into Party Funding Resolved, That the Committee would seek to travel to Germany on 15 and 16 November and to North America, 26 November to 1 December. 2. Future programme Resolved, That the Committee inquire into the implementation of the recommendations of Lord Carter of Coles report, Legal Aid Reform: the Way Ahead (Cm 6993), inviting written evidence immediately and taking oral evidence in the Autumn. [Adjourned till Tuesday 10 October at 4.00pm

29 27 Tuesday 10 October 2006 Siân James Jessica Morden 1. Future programme 2. Human rights legislation and government policy-making Resolved, That the Committee meet concurrently with the Home Affairs Committee, pursuant to Standing Order No. 137A (Select committees: power to work with other committees), to take oral evidence on the relationship between human rights legislation and government policy-making. 3. Meeting with the Official Representatives of the Governments of the German Federal States to the Upper Chamber of the German Parliament [Adjourned till Tuesday 17 October at 4.00 pm

30 28 Tuesday 17 October 2006 Siân James 1. Department for Constitutional Affairs departmental annual report Alex Allan, Permanent Secretary, Rod Clark, Director General Strategy, and Barbara Moorhouse, Director General Finance, Department for Constitutional Affairs, gave oral evidence [Adjourned till Tuesday 31 October at am Tuesday 31 October 2006 [MORNING SITTING] [The Committee met concurrently with the Home Affairs Committee] Mr Alan Beith Mrs Siân James. The following members of the Home Affairs Committee were also present, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. 137A (Select committees: power to work with other committees): Mr Richard Benyon, Ms Karen Buck, Mr James Clappison, Mrs Ann Cryer, Mrs Janet Dean, Mr John Denham, Gwyn Prosser, Bob Russell, Martin Salter, Mr Gary Streeter and Mr David Winnick. Mr John Denham was called to the Chair. 1. Human rights legislation and government policy-making The committees considered this matter. 2. Declarations of interest

31 29 declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to the Committees inquiry as a non-practising barrister in the field of criminal law. Mr James Clappison declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to the Committees inquiry as a non-practising barrister in the field of criminal law. declared a pecuniary interest in relation to the Committees inquiry as an employed barrister. declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to the Committees inquiry as a non-practising solicitor. declared a pecuniary interest in relation to the Committees inquiry as a legal academic who had written on legal cases. 3. Human rights legislation and government policy-making Professor Francesca Klug, London School of Economics Human Rights Centre; and Jonathan Fisher QC, Head of Research, Society of Conservative Lawyers, gave oral evidence. Mr Alan Beith was called to the Chair. Rabinder Singh QC gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till this day at ten minutes to 2.00 pm. Tuesday 31 October 2006 [AFTERNOON SITTING] [The Committee met concurrently with the Home Affairs Committee] Mr Alan Beith Mrs Siân C. James Mr Piara S. Khabra The following members of the Home Affairs Committee were also present, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. 137A (Select committees: power to work with other committees): Mr Richard Benyon, Ms Karen Buck, Mr James Clappison, Mrs Ann Cryer, Mrs Janet Dean Mr John Denham, Gwyn Prosser, Bob Russell, Martin Salter, Mr Gary Streeter.

32 30 Mr Alan Beith was called to the Chair. 1. Human rights legislation and government policy-making The committees considered this matter. Rt Hon Lord Justice Maurice Kay, Lord Justice of Appeal, gave oral evidence. Mr John Denham was called to the Chair. Rt Hon Lord Falconer of Thoroton QC, Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor, and Rt Hon Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC, Minister of State, Home Office, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 7 November at 4 pm. Tuesday 7 November 2006 Siân James Andrew Tyrie 1. Party funding [Adjourned till Tuesday 22 November at am

33 31 ANNEX DECLARATION OF MEMBERS' INTERESTS BEITH, Rt. Hon. Alan (BerwickuponTweed) 2. Remunerated employment, office, profession etc. Consultant to Bourne Leisure Group Ltd.; a holiday park operator in Britain and overseas, on general and parliamentary matters. ( 15,001-20,000) BROKENSHIRE, James (Hornchurch) 2. Remunerated employment, office, profession etc Solicitor (non-practising). 4. Sponsorship or financial or material support Donations to my constituency party from: Bearwood Corporate Services Limited Romford Conservative Support Club (Registered 25 July 2005) 10. Miscellaneous and unremunerated interests I am a Member of the Law Society. HOWARTH, David (Cambridge) 10. Miscellaneous and unremunerated interests Member of Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge Fellowship at Clare College Cambridge, giving occasional access to college facilities. Reader in the Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge (on unpaid leave ). Non registrable interest: Spouse is Justice of the peace in Cambridgeshire KEELEY, Barbara (Worsley) Nil. KHABRA, Piara (Ealing, Southall) 4. Sponsorship or financial or material support Donations to my constituency party received from: Jasbir S Johal, Chief Executive of Wise Trading Ltd trading as Crown Cash and Carry, South Ruislip, Middlesex. Joginder Sanger of Mast Craft Ltd, London

34 32 MORDEN, Jessica (Newport East) Nil. MORGAN, Julie (Cardiff North) 4. Sponsorship or financial or material support Donation to my constituency party from Cardiff North Labour Supporters Club. 6. Overseas visits 4-9 September 2005, to Kenya, with an all-party delegation, to look at the incidence and effect of TB in Kenya. Travel to and from Kenya and within the country, accommodation and expenses paid for by RESULTS, an international lobbying charity organisation. (Registered 27 October 2005) 8. Land and Property Residential property in Cardiff. TYRIE, Andrew (Chichester) 1. Remunerated directorships Independent director of Rensburg Sheppards plc, a publicly quoted investment management company. Independent director of Rugby Estates, a publicly quoted property company. 5. Gifts, benefits and hospitality (UK) Honorary membership of Goodwood Country Club. 9. Registrable shareholdings (b) Falconland Limited; property investment company. Veritas Asian Fund. VAZ, Keith (Leicester East) 2. Remunerated employment, office, profession, etc. Barrister (non-practising). 4. Sponsorship or financial or material support UNISON paid for the cost of printing of my report "Making Progress - Analysis of Ethnic Representation on Quangos", published in (Registered 21 February 2005) Donation to my constituency party from Manubhai Madhvani. (Registered 23 May 2005) 5. Gifts, benefits and hospitality (UK) Although I buy a season ticket for Leicester City Football Club for myself and my family, I am invited from time to time into the directors' box to watch matches. 8. Land and Property

35 33 I own a property at 144 Uppingham Road, Leicester, which is used as my constituency office. A house in London, formerly my family home, held pending sale. WHITEHEAD, Dr. Alan (Southampton Test) 8. Land and Property Share in flat inhabited by my father in Southampton. WRIGHT, Jeremy (Rugby and Kenilworth) 2. Remunerated employment, office, profession etc Barrister, specialising in criminal law, member of No. 5 Chambers, Birmingham. Not currently practising, but receiving some fees for past work. 4. Sponsorship or financial or material support Donation to my constituency party from Midlands Industrial Council. (Registered 21 July 2005)