23. Letter to Ms Alison Seabeck MP
from the Commissioner, 18 January 2011
When I wrote to you on 13 January in response to
your letter to me of 11 January, I noted that I would be copying
our correspondence to the Registrar of Members' Financial Interests
for any further comments she may wish to make. I have now heard
back from her.
I enclose a copy of my letter to her of 13 January,
and her response of the following day. As you will see, she has
no further comments which would modify the advice she has already
given me on whether you should have declared your indirect interest
in the Fire Protection Association during the debate on 19 November.
In respect of the references you made to the relevance of your
indirect interests in the National House-Building Council Foundation
and the Construction Industry Council, as you will see, her advice
is that if, in your judgment, these interests are as relevant
to the Fire Safety (Protection of Tenants) Bill as those of the
Fire Protection Association, then she would have to conclude that
you should have declared those interests also.
I would welcome any comments you may wish to make
on the Registrar's letter. I would be grateful to know, in particular,
whether you consider that the extent of the relevance to the purposes
of the Fire Safety Bill of the interests of the building and construction
organisations you have identified is similar to those of the Fire
Protection Association. And it would be helpful if you could let
me have your reasons for coming to your view. The relevant question
may be whether the building and construction industry could be
said to benefit from the additional obligations set out in the
Bill. On the face of it, it might seem that a Bill which requires
the fitting of smoke alarms (including one mains-powered) in rented
properties could be of some benefit to that industry and so to
the members of the Foundation and Council.
It would be very helpful if you could let me have
a response to this letter within the next week, perhaps at the
same time that you respond to the outstanding point I have raised
with you in my letter of 13 January. I am grateful for your help.
18 January 2011
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