Page 4082 - Week 13 - Thursday, 31 October 2013
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(3) Omit paragraph (8).
(4) Omit paragraph (9).
(5) Omit paragraph (10), substitute:
“If the Deputy Speaker receives a complaint about the Speaker pursuant to clause (7) and the Deputy Speaker believes on reasonable grounds that—
(a) there is sufficient evidence to justify investigating the matter; and
(b) the complaint is not frivolous, vexatious or only for political advantage;
the Deputy Speaker may refer the complaint to the Commissioner for investigation and report.”.
(6) Omit paragraph (11), substitute:
“In exercising the functions of Commissioner the following must be observed:
(a) The Commissioner must not make a report to the Committee if the Member or the Speaker about whom the complaint was made has agreed that he or she has failed to register or declare an interest if—
(i) in the Commissioner’s opinion the interest involved is minor or the failure was inadvertent; and
(ii) the Member concerned has taken such action to rectify the failure as the Commissioner may have required within any procedure approved by the Committee for this purpose.
(b) The Commissioner must not make a report to the Committee unless the Commissioner has—
(i) given a copy of the proposed report to the Member or the Speaker who is the subject of the complaint under investigation;
(ii) the Member or the Speaker has had a reasonable time to provide comments on the proposed report; and
(iii) the Commissioner has considered any comments provided by the Member or the Speaker.
(c) The Commissioner must report by 31 August each year to the Speaker on the exercise of the functions of the Commissioner.”.
These amendments reflect the discussion that was had yesterday. They pick up additional points that have been added through the course of discussion in the last week or so. I thank members for their contribution. I will speak to each of the amendments briefly.
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