Annex 185
Letter to Annmarie Whyte from the Parliamentary
Commissioner for Standards
You kindly wrote to me on 28 February in relation
to enquiries I am making. You told me that you were on maternity
leave and hoped to return to work in June. I do hope that all
went well for you and that the hard work is not detracting too
much from the joy.
I am sorry that I need to write to you for further
information but I find that on some points you are the person
who has the information.
I have been informed that you were responsible for
drawing up the attached budget projections and that you copied
them to other members of staff. Please would you confirm that
this was so.
I now turn to questions which arise from these documents.
(i) In document 1
(which I assume dates from around May 1998):-
(a) why is
Chris Winslow shown as receiving £1,100 per month throughout
the period from June 1998 to May 1999, when his Labour Party salary
was only £500 a month until November 1998?
(b) how is the total salary figure of £13,200 for Chris
Winslow arrived at?
(c) why is Kevin Reid shown as receiving £1,100 per month
throughout the period from June 1998 to May 1999, when his Labour
Party salary was only £333 per month until October 1998?
(d) what is the basis for the monthly figure of £1,100
for Kevin Reid?
(e) how is the total salary figure of £13,200 for Kevin
Reid arrived at?
(f) in the briefing note at 7 and 8 are the comments
"— income of £6000 from J Maxton MP
— income of £10000 from J Reid MP"
Please would you explain those notes. In particular, how was it
anticipated that Dr Reid and Mr Maxton would provide that income?
What was its source? At what date was it agreed and in what terms?
When was payment begun and for what period was it paid?
(ii) In document 2 (which I assume
dates from about October 1998):-
(a) why is
Chris Winslow shown as receiving £550 per month throughout
the period June 1998 to June 1999, when his contracted Labour
Party salary from November 1998 onwards was £12,000, 1/12
of which is £1,000?
(b) what is the basis for the monthly figure of £550
for Chris Winslow?
(c) how is the total salary figure of £7,160 for Mr Winslow
arrived at?
(d) why is Kevin Reid shown as receiving £366 per month
until October 1998 when 1/12 of his contracted Labour Party salary
for that period was £333?
(e) how is the total salary figure of £16,314 for Mr
Reid arrived at?
(iii) In document 3 (which I assume
dates from January 1999):-
(a) what is
the basis for the total salary figure of £11,550 for Chris
Winslow?
(b) what is the basis for the total salary figure of £16,314
for Kevin Reid?
Would you also let me have copies of the audited
accounts for the period of these projections. I assume financial
years 1998/99 and 1999/2000.
I understand that a financial reference may have
been provided by the Labour Party for one or more of these people.
Did you draw up or discuss with Alex Rowley any financial reference
for any of these people? If so, would you give me the date and
the details of the financial institution for which it was created
and provide me with a copy.
19 May 2000
|
