Committee on Standards — Owen Paterson MP — 3 Nov 2021 at 15:15

The majority of MPs voted not to suspend Owen Paterson from the House of Commons immediately and to set up a select committee to consider and make recommendations on both allegations of paid lobbying by Owen Paterson MP and on wider issues relating to the system for dealing with alleged misconduct by MPs.

MPs were considering the motion:

• That this House–
• (1) approves the Third Report of the Committee on Standards (HC 797);
• (2) endorses the recommendation in paragraph 212; and
• (3) accordingly suspends Mr Owen Paterson from the service of the House for a period of thirty sitting days.

an amendment supported by the majority of MPs in this vote stated:

• leave out from “this House” to the end and insert:
• “(1) notes the Third Report of the Committee on Standards (HC 797);
• (2) notes concerns expressed about potential defects in the standards system and therefore declines to consider the report at this time;
• (3) and resolves:
• (a) that a Select Committee be appointed to consider and make recommendations by 3 February 2022 on the following matters:
• (i) whether the current standards system should give Members of Parliament the same or similar rights as apply to those subject to investigations of alleged misconduct in other workplaces and professions, including the right of representation, examination of witnesses and appeal;
• (ii) the extent to which the procedures under Standing Order Nos 149, 149(A) and 150 should be made consistent with the principles of natural justice;
• (iii) whether the case against Mr Owen Paterson should be reviewed or whether the Third Report of the Committee on Standards (HC 797) should be reconsidered by the House;
• (iv) and such other matters as appear to the Committee to be connected with the matters set out above, and calls on the Government to bring forward a motion to give effect to any recommendations of the Committee within five sitting days of the publication of the Committee’s report;
• (b) That the Committee consist of nine Members;
• (c) That Mr John Whittingdale be Chair of the Committee and be given a casting vote in the event of a tie;
• (d) That the Committee shall consist of eight other backbench members; to be nominated by parties in the proportion of four Conservative, three Labour and one SNP; nominations shall be submitted to the Committee of Selection no later than 15 November, after that date motions for nomination can be made notwithstanding any gaps in membership, and any motion made in the House on behalf of the Committee of Selection by the Chair or another member of the Committee shall be treated as having been made in pursuance of Standing Order No.121(2) for the purposes of Standing Order No.15(1)(c);
• (e) That the Committee have power to send for persons, papers and records, to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House; to adjourn from place to place, to report from time to time, to appoint legal advisers, and to appoint specialist advisers either to supply information which is not readily available or to elucidate matters of complexity within the Committee’s order of reference.”

Debate in Parliament |