Select Committee on Standards and Privileges Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence


APPENDIX 32

Letter to the Clerk of the Committee on Standards and Privileges from Davenport Lyons, Solicitors

MAPESBURY COMMUNICATIONS

We act for Mapesbury Communications Limited. We have been instructed by the company to respond to your letter of 31 January 2001 to Bindman & Partners with its answers to the various points you raise.

1.  The company was established in 1994. It undertakes publishing and public relations work.

2.  The company published calendars for the years 1994, 1995 and 1996. We understand that copies of these calendars are lodged in the House of Commons Register. These calendars contained advertising and photographs of Mr Vaz with his contact details and other information. The price of advertisements for the calendars was £250 but our client believes but cannot at present confirm that a few (about 4) were charged at £400 in the 1995 and 1996 issues.

The project was not successful as unfortunately, some advertisers did not pay. The paperwork for the calendar projects were retained by Raihan Mahmoud who assisted the company in producing the calendar.

Had your request for documentation been made earlier in your investigation, Mr Mahmoud would probably have been able to assist but unfortunately he died in November 2000 and despite a request to his widow to trace the paperwork, she is unable to do so.

5.  Apart from the calendars, the only material that included Mr Vaz's name was a dedication to him by Maria Fernandes in her book on Visas. A copy can be provided to you if you so require.

6.  We enclose herewith the accounts filed at Companies Hose for the period ending 31st October 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999.[7] Your request for all underlying records of payments into and out of the company since inception appears to be somewhat excessive. Our understanding is that the specific documents you seek are payments made by Mr Zaiwalla in the sum of £200 and £250 in respect of an advert which appeared in the calendar. Our client cannot locate these documents for the reasons set out in (2) above.

Doubtless if there are further documents or information you require you will let us know but please confirm that Ms Fernandes attendance is not required by the Committee on Tuesday 13th.

9 February 2001


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