§ Peter BottomleyTo ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of880W 18 December 2001, to what extent the commitment to provide the resources required to support the role of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards will be judged by (a) the Commission, (b) by the internal auditors and (c) by the Commissioner. [25149]
§ Mr. Kirk woodThe Commission will base its judgment on the findings of the review which it has asked the Internal Review Service to carry out. In reaching that judgment, the Commission will take full account of the views both of the Chairman of the Committee on Standards and Privileges, and of the incoming Commissioner for Standards, as to the expected workload and the resources required.
§ Peter BottomleyTo ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of 17 December 2001,Official Report, column 2W, on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, when the Chairman of the Commission was first told the letter dated 28 November had been openly made available to the media on the afternoon of Tuesday 4 December; and when he was first told that some of its contents had been confirmed on the forenoon. [25037]
§ Mr. KirkwoodThe Speaker knew on the morning of 4 December that his office was confirming media reports that the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards had written to him informing him that she did not wish to apply for reappointment but that his office was also making clear that the text of the letter would not be released. The Speaker was informed later that day that the text had become available to the media from other sources.