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
7 Not printed. Back
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