British MPs ‘breaking foreign trips rules’

More than 20 British MPs have broken Commons rules by failing fully to declare luxury trips paid for by foreign governments, it was claimed. Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox has admitted breaching rules twice in asking parliamentary questions after visiting Sri Lanka.

 

 

The politicians have visited famous holiday destinations such as the Maldives, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Mauritius, Gibraltar and Cyprus, according to research by the BBC.

 

 

However, on many occasions they failed to mention the hospitality received when tabling questions and participating in Parliamentary debates.

 

 

Labour MP Andrew Dismore, a member of the Standards and Privileges Committee, is alleged to have breached the regulations it enforces more than 90 times in relation to annual trips to Cyprus.

 

 

Tory MP David Amess is said to have called a debate on the Maldivesin 2007, telling the House that his “splendid visit” had given him “an early taste of paradise”.

 

 

He apparently suggested that the UK Government “could be encouraged to do a little more than is being done at the moment” for the tiny nation. However, despite tabling 15 questions and leading two debates, at no point did he declare his interest as required, the BBC claimed.

 

 

Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox has admitted breaching rules twice in asking parliamentary questions after visiting Sri Lanka.

 

 

He said one trip from 2007 was initially not recorded properly due to a staffing error, but later added to his register entry. “I do however recognise that when asking one question in 2008, I should have noted an interest and the Registrar has been informed of this,” he added.

 

 

Liberal Democrat frontbencher Norman Baker has allegedly broken regulations 37 times, leading debates and tabling questions about Tibet. He has travelled to India twice courtesy of the Tibet Society and the Tibetgovernment-in-exile, the BBC said.

 

 

Under Commons rules, MPs are not allowed to press for UKgovernment assistance to a place from which they have recently received hospitality. They must register the trip and then declare relevant trips when tabling questions, motions or debates.

UKPA