Recent
developments concerning the Registers of Members' Staff, Journalists
and All-Party Groups
4.16 In 2006 my predecessor made a number of
recommendations regarding the rules on groups as a result of his
investigation of a complaint from The Times newspaper.[42]
His recommendations mainly sought to improve transparency about
financial and material assistance received by groups, whether
in the form of donations or the provision of services such as
a secretariat.
4.17 The Committee on Standards and Privileges
is considering when to put to the House my predecessor's recommendations,
together with subsequent recommendations approved by the Committee
aimed at simplifying the rules by unifying the process of registration
and approval.[43]
4.18 In parallel with this joint review of the
rules, in 2007 the Administration Committee undertook its own
review. That Committee oversees my office's administration of
the Approved List of groups and is mainly concerned with the use
made by groups of the House's facilities and the impact on that
of the growing number of groups. The Committee suspended its review
pending the outcome of the House's consideration of the recommendations
from the Committee on Standards and Privileges.
4.19 As noted earlier in this Report, the regulations
concerning the use of the House dining facilities changed in 2007,
when the Refreshment Department (now known as the Catering and
Retail section of the newly established Department of Facilities)
amended its regulations to prohibit the use, except by charities,
of Refreshment Department facilities for direct or indirect fundraising;
previously, registered groups were allowed to undertake fundraising.[44]
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