Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

In the real world, when these changes take effect really matters. I had a private Member's Bill more than two years ago—the Disqualification from Parliament (Taxation Status) Bill—which ran into the usual procedural problems. However, the Government had an opportunity to take up that Bill and, with our huge majority and given the demands for action by Labour Back Benchers, to make it law. The cap on donations was too late and although the new clauses are welcome, they do not go far enough and nor are they retrospective. A few years ago, we woke up to the problem that there were legislators in this Parliament who were not paying UK taxes. That was an affront to those inside and outside this place. Indeed, I know for a fact that one legislator is a tax exile. Moreover, he is a tax exile on leave of absence. It is Lord Laidlaw, a former vice-chairman of the Conservative party, who was ennobled in 2004 after promising the House of Lords Appointments Commission that he would become a UK resident for tax purposes. He reneged on that promise. HOLAC's annual report for 2006-07 said:""During spring 2004, the Commission vetted a list of party-political nominees. One of the individuals on the list, Irvine Laidlaw (now Lord Laidlaw of Rothiemay) was not resident in the UK for tax purposes. Following an exchange of correspondence and a face-to-face meeting, the Commission accepted an assurance from Lord Laidlaw that he would become a resident in the UK for tax purposes from April 2004. On the basis of this assurance, the Commission found no objection to his appointment. The Commission would have taken a different view on Lord Laidlaw's nomination if it had known that he would not be resident in the UK for tax purposes from April 2004. In June 2004 he was appointed to the House of Lords."" Lord Laidlaw still does not pay UK taxes. He is a self-confessed tax exile living in Monaco. He has given £3 million to the Conservative party, and I have said publicly many times that it should return that tainted money. To take money from someone who sits in the UK Parliament but does not pay UK taxes is a scandal.