HC Deb 04 July 2001 vol 371 cc208-9W
Margaret Moran

To ask the President of the Council what plans he has to extend the insurance scheme agreed by the House on 23 May 2000. [2465]

Mr. Robin Cook

On 23 May 2000, the House resolved that an insurance scheme should be established to cover claims against Members in respect of defamation claims. It has since become apparent that similar insurance is needed in respect of claims of negligence, the risk of which applies to all Members, and the motion on allowances arising from the SSRB report on parliamentary pay and allowances, which I tabled on Monday, would, if agreed by the House in the debate tomorrow, Thursday 5 July, enable this.

The House will wish to be aware that a specific case has already arisen, and I have tabled a motion to enable the House to reimburse my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) in respect of reasonable legal expenditure including damages arising in consequence of an action against him alleging vicarious liability for an act of negligence committed in the course of his duties as a Member of this House.

The claim arises from legal proceedings against my right hon. Friend for Blackburn (as the second defendant) and the Blackburn with Darwen borough council (as the first defendant) by a constituent alleging, in respect of my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn, vicarious liability on his part for an act of negligence by a member of his staff (who for unrelated reasons subsequently left his employment) committed in the course of his duties as a Member of this House.

The constituent claims damages exceeding £50,000 for, among other matters, losses on the value of his property and for personal injury, distress and inconvenience (as well as his legal costs), which he claims are attributable to the release from the constituency office of my right hon. Friend of information which he had provided to it.

The motion I tabled last night would, if agreed by the House following the debate on Thursday 5 July, provide for my right hon. Friend to be reimbursed his reasonable legal expenditure, including damages, already incurred and to be incurred in this instance.