TWELFTH REPORT
The Committee on Standards and Privileges has
agreed to the following Report:—
COMPLAINTS AGAINST MR JOHN PRESCOTT
1.We have considered a memorandum by the Parliamentary
Commissioner for Standards relating to the complaints by Mr David
Heathcoat-Amory, Member for Wells, Mr Andrew Robathan, Member
for Blaby, and Mr T Sullivan of Morden, Surrey, against Mr John
Prescott, Member for Kingston upon Hull East. The Commissioner's
memorandum and a letter from Mr Prescott are appended to this
Report.
2. Mr Prescott properly registered his sponsorship
as a Member by the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) and
its predecessor from the inception of the Register of Members'
Interests in 1975. It could reasonably have been assumed that
that entry also covered the tenancy of his flat in the RMT's property
in Clapham. When Mr Prescott's sponsorship by the RMT ceased,
his retention of his tenancy was not a new concession on the part
of the RMT but a legal right. He therefore enjoyed no benefit
after that point which he had not enjoyed before. Accordingly
we do not uphold the complaint relating to non-registration.
3. The tenancy has never been included in the Register.
In the current climate it would be better if it were registered.
We invite Mr Prescott now to add it to his Register entry.
4. We agree with the Commissioner in not upholding
the remaining complaints.
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