Parliamentary Standards Bill

The right hon. and learned Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Mr. Hogg) hit on a very serious point when he asked whether new clause 11 would end up applying both to the investigation stage and then to the adjudication stage by the authority. The hon. Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) clarified that it would apply only to the authority stage because it refers specifically to subsection (5). But let us remember that subsection (5) states:""The IPSA must determine—""(a) procedures in relation to investigations under subsection (1);""(b) procedures in relation to complaints under subsection (2)(c);""(c) procedures in relation to the circumstances in which a report under subsection (4) is to be published."" So IPSA clearly applies to two stages in relation to the investigation, and proposed new paragraphs (a) to (g) of subsection (5) would apply separately in relation to the procedures, because new clause 11 begins with:""The procedures referred to in subsection (5)"." So three sets of procedures are referred to, and they could apply three times, but that still does not deal with what we were assured the provision was meant to deal with: how the authority would approach the matter on receiving the report and the findings. Clearly, something needs to be remedied and clarified if we are to get the measure right.