Annex 119
Letter to Digby Brown, solicitors, from
the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards
Thank you for your letter of 24 May concerning Ms
Hilliard.
I too wish that I did not have to contact Ms Hilliard
at the time of her examinations and that I could deal with the
one outstanding matter by contacting Dr Reid or Mr Maxton, but
I am afraid this is impossible. Neither of them have the information
which Ms Hilliard agreed to provide to me on 7 April 2000.
On that date I interviewed Ms Hilliard as a witness
during an enquiry which is ongoing. As you will understand, I
must substantiate her account to support her account and thereby
the Members of Parliament in question. To do this I requested
copies of Ms Hilliard`s telephone accounts. She agreed to provide
them. When they were not received I wrote to her to remind her
and have repeated the request on two further occasions. She told
me the accounts were not available, that she is not the account
holder, and has now said in response to my efforts to obtain them
that she does not know who the account holder is. I have now asked
her for the telephone number and the name of the telephone company
so that I may obtain them myself. Only Ms Hilliard can provide
this information, which could quickly be communicated to me by
telephone by her or by you. Of course, I continue to hope that
Ms Hilliard will obtain the accounts herself, but the number and
company will suffice.
I trust you will be able to assist my enquiry on
this matter and enclose a note describing my investigation process.
25 May 2000
| 
