SNP PUSH WESTMINSTER REFORM TO HOLYROOD STANDARDS

SNP PUSH WESTMINSTER REFORM TO HOLYROOD STANDARDS

The Scottish National Party (SNP) has tabled an amendment to the Parliamentary Standards Bill making it a criminal offence for a Member of Parliament to fail to declare a relevant interest in parliamentary proceedings.

The SNP Westminster group will push for the UK Parliament to emulate Holyrood standards of transparency in the Parliamentary Standards Bill which will be discussed in the House of Commons early next week.

Under the proposed legislation as it currently stands, MPs could only be found guilty of a criminal offence if they fail to register an interest - but there is no requirement similar to that which exists in the Scottish Parliament to ensure MPs make reference to this interest when speaking in Parliament.

The SNP Westminster Group has advocated working to the Holyrood standard in a series of all-party meetings, chaired by Justice Secretary Jack Straw, aimed at pushing forward parliamentary standards reform.

Commenting, SNP Westminster Leader Angus Robertson MP, said:

“The Scottish Parliament has shown the way with legal sanctions that can be applied against wayward parliamentarians.

“By including this proposal in the Parliamentary Standards Bill, Westminster can send a clear signal that it is unacceptable for MPs to put their own pecuniary advantage before the interests of their constituents.

“The public are quite right when they say that MPs should not be exempt from serious consequences if they break the rules. Politicians make the laws – they are not above them.

“The SNP Westminster Group will push for Westminster to emulate Holyrood standards on this matter, as it has already done over the publication of expenses.”