Select Committee on Standards and Privileges Thirteenth and Fourteenth Report



ANNEX H

Letter to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards from the Rt Hon Dr Jack Cunningham MP

I refer to your letter of 27 July 1999 and my letter of acknowledgement dated 28 July. I apologise for the length of time taken to provide answers to your questions.

I have now had the opportunity to discuss the issues you raised with the people responsible both for the Industry Forum funding and the single contribution made by Greg Dyke to support research in my office.

I had no access to the bank accounts or details of individual contributions to the Industry Forum. The list of members is not published. All financial transactions were handled by the Forum Trustees. Research funding to my Office from the Forum was decided by them. It was paid and administered independently of me.

Greg Dyke made a single contribution to research funding for my Office of £5,000.00. I was not aware of the contribution until some considerable time afterwards. Apparently Greg Dyke wrote a letter to a newspaper commenting on contributions to research support for Labour. I did not receive a copy of that letter and cannot recall the date. I have now confirmed with the administrators of my Office Fund that the contribution was dated 3 May 1996.

I hope the above information satisfactorily answers the questions you raised with me.

11 October 1999


 
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Prepared 10 November 1999