Examination of witness (Questions 194
- 199)
TUESDAY 30 JANUARY 2001
MR KEITH
VAZ, MP
Chairman
194. Welcome to the Committee. You have Mr Bindman
with you, your solicitor. Your position here is quite clear. You
can advise your client of course whenever you wish. Do not address
the Committee unless we particularly ask you and the questioning
will be conducted by myself and my colleagues. The first question
is what discussions have you had, if any, with Mr Kapasi about
religious buildings in Leicester?
(Mr Vaz) Mr Kapasi is the trustee or
community leader of one of the groups that was seeking to acquire
land in the eastern part of my constituency called Hamilton. Mr
Kapasi made representations to a number of people. Mrs Filkin
wrote to me and asked me if I knew whether he had written me a
letter and I replied saying he may well have done so. My policy
is always, if people write and ask for help, that we would help
them. I have not had any particular discussions with him. Any
discussions I have had on places of worship are with the council
and have been minuted.
195. Did you receive any money or payments,
benefits, donations of any kind, that we should know about?
(Mr Vaz) In respect of Mr Kapasi or generally?
196. In general, on matters in Leicester.
(Mr Vaz) No.
197. Nothing from Mr Kapasi?
(Mr Vaz) No.
198. Not at any time?
(Mr Vaz) No.
199. Not through relatives or donations or charitable
causes?
(Mr Vaz) No, but when Mrs Filkin wrote to Mr Kapasi,
as is clear in the report, he told Mrs Filkin that he had made
a donation of £52 to a charity that was set up following
the death of my first child. I was not able to tell Mrs Filkin
that because I was not aware that he had done so until she wrote
to him and reminded him.
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