§ Sir John StanleyTo ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Nuneaton of 22 February 2000,Official Report, column 844W, on all-party groups, if the new rules for all-party groups apply retrospectively from the date of a group's last AGM or from the date of a group's 43W first AGM following her answer; if meetings held outside the Palace of Westminster count towards the minimum annual requirement; if a meeting of a group held separately from, but on the same day, and at the same place, as the group's AGM counts towards the minimum annual requirement; and if meetings at which the number of hon. Members present falls below five at any point can be counted towards the minimum annual requirement. [115775]
§ Mrs. RoeI will answer the points raised in my right hon. Friend's question in the order listed.
The new rules have been applied simultaneously to all all-party parliamentary and associate parliamentary groups with effect from 29 February 2000 (ie the date on which each group was individually notified of them).
As long as a meeting has been called by a group, (and is not just an event at which some group members are present, eg a reception), such a meeting would count towards the minimum total, regardless of where it was held; however, the group must keep a record so that it can provide the same information as is required of meetings held on the Parliamentary Estate.
I understand that some groups' AGMs are solely to attend to administrative necessities (eg electing officers), while others may combine their AGM with an ordinary meeting (ie the AGM consists of a few minutes to attend to administrative necessities, followed by the real business). I think this is the separation to which my right hon. Friend refers; meetings count as separate meetings only if they are separated by a significant length of time (ie they are not held on the same day).
The rules require five hon. Members, who are members of the group, to be present for the duration of every meeting.