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Letter from Mr Ian Greer to the Parliamentary
Commissioner for Standards
Thank you for your letter of 4 December 1996.
I am grateful to you for acknowledging the difficulties in which
my company and I find ourselves. Whilst you say that you will
make every effort to ensure that I am not disadvantaged, I strongly
believe that the Standards and Privileges Committee should make
available the necessary funds to provide me with legal advice.
I hope that you will feel able to once again raise this matter
with them, as it is important, not only for me, but in the interests
of natural justice, which I cannot believe the Committee would
deny.
To demonstrate my good faith and desire to co-operate,
I am enclosing, as requested by you, my company's accounts[63]
for the years ending 31 December 1986 to June 1995. May I point
out that:
(a) These are the only accounts in my possession
(b) The company was incorporated in September
1985 and prior to that "traded as"
(c) The accounts for the period 1995-96
were in the process of being prepared, but as I cannot afford
to pay the accountants, I have halted their completion.
(d) The "company" has been in
existence for 14 years and not 15.
I am also enclosing, as requested, a list of
donations made to constituency fighting funds at the time of the
1987 and 1992 General Elections.
I am also meeting your request to supply a list
of payments made by IGA, directly or indirectly, to a Member/Member's
family.
I believe this then completes all the information
that you have requested, with the exception of the submission
that I promised. Owing to the circumstances in which I find myself
- a total lack of resources and being unable to afford any legal
advice, together with the impending liquidation of my company
and serious financial difficulties - I am prevented from making
a submission.
You wrote to me concerning the addresses of
witnesses. May I strongly urge you to call Mr Royston Webb, Mr
Fayed's former in-house legal adviser. He has an intimate and
thorough knowledge of the public affairs programme that my company
undertook on behalf of Harrods/House of Fraser. He was also responsible
for briefing Members of Parliament and the drafting of Parliamentary
Questions and Motions for Mr Dale Campbell-Savours, MP and others.
In addition to his legal duties, my company's invoices were sent
to him for authorisation before payment. As a former senior employee
of Mr Fayed, I have no doubt that either he, or Mr Michael Cole,
will be willing and able to provide you with his contact details.
May I tell you how dissatisfied I am with the
lack of progress which the Inquiry appears to be making. I feel
it is iniquitous that I should be forced into a position where
I have to supply information to enable you to start an Inquiry
into my conduct and that of others, when Mr Fayed and The Guardian
have failed to come forward with any allegations.
Ian Greer
10 December 1996
DONATIONS TO CONSTITUENCY ELECTION FIGHTING
FUNDS
In 1987 I received donations from DHL International,
in the sum of £11,250 and from Mr Fayed in the sum of £18,000.
The donors were not made known to the recipients,
nor were the recipients made known to the donors. This ensured
that there was neither anticipation nor expectation on either
part.
I have raised money for the Conservative Party
for many years; indeed, politics has been my life since the age
of 16. I was the youngest professional Conservative Agent at one
time and appreciate, more than most, how difficult it is to raise
money in preparation for election campaigns, especially at a Constituency
level.
It should be noted that all Parliamentary candidates
raise money from a number of sources at the time of an election.
The Labour Party, in the main, from local unions and the Conservatives,
from local businessmen.
When I left the employment of the Conservative
Party and started my own business, it was common for candidates
from both the main parties, particularly the Conservative Party,
to ask me whether the companies I advised would consider making
a donation to their constituency election campaign fund raising
efforts. For the sake of clarity, many large businesses make
donations to the Parties' national campaigns. Both DHL International
and Mr Fayed made such donations. In addition however, they acceded
to my request to make donations to enable grassroots campaigning.
The donors were happy to allow me to assess
and select which constituency fighting funds should receive financial
support - some were long standing friends and others were in marginal
seats. As the company grew and developed, I was happy to make
donations, at the request of my directors and staff, who supported
either the Labour or Liberal Democrat Parties.
In 1992, my company donated funds to constituency
campaigns. I made no appeal to industry.
Ian Greer Associates Limited
| PPC 1987 election | Constituency
Association fighting fund* | Amount donated £ |
| Lynda Chalker | Wallasey | 1,977.64 |
| Nirj Deva | Hammersmith | 750.00 |
| Ken Warren | Hasting and Rye | 500.00 |
| Robert Atkins | South Ribble | 500.00 |
| Gerard Vaughan | Reading East | 500.00 |
| Ian Wrigglesworth | Stockton South | 500.00 |
| Alan Beith | Berwick upon Tweed | 500.00 |
| Richard Holme | Cheltenham | 500.00 |
| David Mellor | Putney | 500.00 |
| Malcolm Thornton | Crosby | 500.00 |
| David Trippier | Rossendale and Darwen | 1,000.00 |
| Michael Portillo | Enfield Southgate | 500.00 |
| Gerry Bowden | Dulwich | 500.00 |
| John Lee | Pendle | 500.00 |
| Michael Hirst | Strathkelvin and Bearsden | 500.00 |
| Norman Tebbit | Chingford | 500.00 |
| Colin Moynihan | Lewisham East | 925.18 |
| Tony Durant | Reading West | 500.00 |
| Doug Hoyle | Warrington North | 500.00 |
| Stan Crowther | Rotherham | 250.00 |
| Neil Thorne | Ilford South | 500.00 |
| David Shaw | Dover | 500.00 |
| John Moore | Croydon Central | 1,367.00 |
| Gerry Malone | Aberdeen South | 1,000.00 |
| Andrew Bowden | Brighton Kemptown | Office
Equipment
5,319.90 |
| Norman Lamont | Kingston and Malden | 2,000.00 |
* To be read in conjunction with
attached note "Donations to constituency election fighting
funds".
Other election expenditure:
United and Cecil Club
- Election donation: £90.
Businessmen for Britain (CCO campaign): £690
(IGA telephone, postage, etc.).
Election result analysis (IGA): £4,229.
Staff disbursements to cover staff travel, food,
etc., in Conservative, Labour, and Liberal constituencies: £1,000.
| PPC 1992 election | Constituency
Association fighting fund* | Amount donated £ |
| Chris Smith | Islington South and Finsbury | 250 |
| Gwyneth Dunwoody | Crewe and Nantwich | 250 |
| Neil Thorne | Ilford South | 250 |
| Lynda Chalker | Wallasey | 250 |
| Robert Atkins | South Ribble | 250 |
| Alan Beith | Berwick upon Tweed | 250 |
*To be read in conjunction with
attached note "Donations to constituency election fighting
funds".
REFERRAL PAYMENTS MADE TO MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT,
FORMER MEMBERS AND THEIR SPOUSES/FAMILY
Members of Parliament
Neil Hamilton, MP
1988-89: Two commission payments in respect
of two client referrals.
No donations to constituency election fighting fund.
Michael Brown, MP
1988-89: One Commission payment for a client referral.
No donations to constituency election fighting fund.
Michael Grylls, MP
Please see my letter of 14 October 1996.
No donations to constituency election fighting fund.
You mention in your letter other Members who might
be "involved": Tim Smith, MP
No commission payments for client referrals.
No donations to constituency election fighting fund.
Sir Peter Hordern MP
No commission payments for client referrals.
No donations to constituency election fighting fund.
Sir Andrew Bowden, MP
No commission payments for client referrals.
1987: Donation to constituency election fighting
fund.
1988: IGA lecture fee 1989: European research and
speech writing Lady Olga Maitland, MP
January/February 1992: (prior to the June 1992 General
Election). Fee for assistance on the recovery of a foreign debt.
No commission payments for client referrals.
No donation to constituency election fighting fund.
Gerry Malone, MP
No commission payments for client referrals.
1987: Donation to constituency election fighting
fund.
SPOUSES:
Mr Robin Hay (husband of Lady Olga Maitland)
1994: One commission payment for a client referral.
FORMER MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT:
I make reference to these former Members in particular,
as The Guardian has sought to make much about commission
payments to them, despite the fact that they had or were just
in the process of retiring from the House.
Sir Peter Morrison:
1993-94: (left the House in 1992): Two commission
payments, perhaps three, for client referrals.
Walter Johnson
1983: retirement gift.
IGA Payments Schedule
General Election - 11 June 1987 - Expenses
| 1987 | | | DB | CR | Balance |
| May 19 | | SDE 24 | | 11,250.00 | |
| 30 | Cash Receipts from M Fayed | BR 37 | | 18,000.00 | |
| 11 | Hammersmith Conservative Association | CBP 28 | 750.00 | | |
| 12 | Ken Warren Election Fighting Fund | CBP 29 | 500.00 | | |
| | Robert Atkins Election Fighting Fund | / | 500.00 | | |
| | Gerry Vaughan Election Fighting Fund | / | 500.00 | | |
| | Ian Wrigglesworth Election Fighting Fund | / | 500.00 | | |
| | Alan Beith Election Fighting Fund | / | 500.00 | | |
| | David Mellor Election Fighting Fund | / | 500.00 | | |
| 12 | Malcolm Thornton Election Fighting Fund | / | 500.00 | | |
| | David Trippier Election Fighting Fund | CBP 30 | 1,000.00 | | |
| | Neil Thorne Election Fighting Fund | / | 500.00 | | |
| | Michael Portillo Election Fighting Fund | / | 500.00 | | |
| | Gerry Bowden Election Fighting Fund | / | 500.00 | | |
| | John Lee Election Fighting Fund | / | 500.00 | | |
| | Michael Hirst Election Fighting Fund | / | 500.00 | | |
| | Norman Tebbit Election Fighting Fund | / | 1,000.00 | | |
| | Lewisham and Deptford Conservative Association | / | 250.00 | | |
| | Tony Durant Election Fighting Fund | / | 500.00 | | |
| | Doug Hoyle Election Fighting Fund | / | 500.00 | | |
| | Stan Crowther Election Fighting Fund | / | 250.00 | | (19,000,00) |
| | Year's expert services | 880 | 10,250.00 | 29,250.00 | |
| June 10 | Recruit C Moynihan temp secretary | 14 | 260.81 | | |
| 1, 7 | Recruit C Moynihan temp secretary | / | 414.37 | | |
| 2 | David Shaw Election Fighting Fund | CBP 31 | 500.00 | | |
| | United and Cecil Club | | 90.00 | | |
| 1 | Croydon Central Conservatives | CBP 32 | 1,000.00 | | |
| 5 | Gerry Malone Election Fighting Fund | CBP 33 | 1,000.00 | | |
| 29 | Kingston and Maldon Conservative Association | / | 2,000.00 | | |
| 30 | Visuals for Literature of J Moore MP - Design | 5 | 367.00 | | |
| 16 | Postage | 78 | 50.00 | | |
| | Postage | / | 50.00 | | |
| | Postage | / | 100.00 | | |
| | | | 16,082.18 | 29,250.00 | (13,167.82) |
| | | | Election expenses |
| | Expenses paid after date of Election | | 6,319.90 | 27 | (6,847.90) |
| | Accruals (paid 13/7, £1,000+ £5,319.90) | | 1,203.38 | 27.7/3 | (5,644.50) |
| | Document J | | 774.26 | 27.7/4 | (4,870.20) |
| | Document L | | 4,229.00 | 27.7/5 | (641.20) |
| | The Cheltenham Lib Campaign | | 500 | | (141.60) |
63 Not printed. Back
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