Privileges Committee - Second Report
The Conduct of Lord Moonie, Lord Snape, Lord Truscott and Lord Taylor of Blackburn

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Here you can browse the report which was ordered by the House of Lords to be printed 11 May 2009.

CONTENTS

Terms of Reference

The Conduct of Lord Moonie, Lord Snape, Lord Truscott and Lord Taylor of Blackburn

Introduction

The Committee's procedures

Entrapment

The Code of Conduct

The conduct of Lord Moonie

The conduct of Lord Snape

The Sub-Committee's conclusions on Lord Snape

Lord Snape's appeal

Lord Snape's oral evidence

Conclusions and recommendations on Lord Snape

The conduct of Lord Truscott

The Sub-Committee's conclusions on Lord Truscott

Lord Truscott's appeal

Conclusion on Lord Truscott

The conduct of Lord Taylor of Blackburn

The Sub-Committee's conclusions on Lord Taylor

Lord Taylor's appeal

Conclusion on Lord Taylor of Blackburn

Sanctions

Appendix 1: List of characters

Appendix 2: Report of the Sub-Committee on Lords' Interests

Chapter 1: The allegations and the code of conduct

Background

The sequence of events leading to our investigation

Our investigation

Our procedures

The position of the Sunday Times

The allegations in more detail

The "no-paid-advocacy" rule

Application of the "no-paid-advocacy rule"

Interests falling within paragraphs 12(a)-(c) of the Code

Advice and advocacy

The cases of the four Lords

Chapter 2: The allegations against Lord Moonie

Background

The conversations with the undercover journalists

The allegations against Lord Moonie

The case for Lord Moonie

Our conclusion on Lord Moonie

Chapter 3: The allegations against Lord Snape

Background

The conversations with the undercover journalists

Lord Snape's defence

The first pillar

The first pillar: what's good for the client is good for the
wider interest

The first pillar: exercising parliamentary influence

The first pillar: approaching Ministers behind the scenes

The first pillar: the question of payment

The second pillar: consulting the Registrar of Lords' Interests

Amending legislation for clients

Our conclusion on Lord Snape

Chapter 4: The allegations against Lord Truscott

Background

The evidence

Lord Truscott's understanding of the Code

Advice, advocacy and lobbying

Moving amendments

Did Lord Truscott offer to cross the boundary between advice and advocacy?

Smoothing the way for lobbying

Influencing Members of Parliament

Facilitating meetings with Members

Finding someone to move amendments

Lobbying Ministers

Lobbying government officials

The issue of "smart metering"

Did Lord Truscott make an agreement with MJA?

Wrong words and loose language

Our conclusion on Lord Truscott

Chapter 5: The allegations against Lord Taylor of Blackburn

Background

Lord Taylor's evidence

What was Lord Taylor being asked to do?

Did Lord Taylor understand the rules?

Lord Taylor's methods

Lord Taylor's explanation

Is Lord Taylor's explanation believable?

Lord Taylor's other clients  

Lord Taylor's motives

Lord Taylor's interest in the retail sector

Did Lord Taylor make an agreement with the lobbyists?

Lord Taylor's other explanations

Loose language

Was Lord Taylor engaged in a counter-sting?

Our conclusion on Lord Taylor

Chapter 6: General Conclusion

General conclusion

Appendix 3: How complaints are dealt with

Appendix 4: Members and declarations of interests

Appendix 5: List of witnesses

Appendix 6: How to follow the evidence

Appendix 7: Corrections to evidence received from Lord Moonie, Lord Snape, Lord Truscott, Lord Taylor of Blackburn and their Representatives

Oral and Written Evidence - HL 88-II
Lord Moonie - including Minutes of Evidence taken on 10 March 2009
Lord Snape - including Minutes of Evidence taken on 10 March 2009
Lord Truscott - including Minutes of Evidence taken on 13 March 2009
Lord Taylor of Blackburn
Other Written Evidence
Appeals to the Committee for Privileges - including Minutes of Evidence with Lord Snape taken on 11 May 2009

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