§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish a list of gifts given to Ministers of the Crown during their period in public office; and, if not, why not; and [HL1971]
Whether the report in the Guardian on 3 March was correct in stating that attempts have been made by the Prime Minister's advisers to persuade the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration to change the findings in her draft report on the public disclosure of gifts made to Ministers of the Crown; and, if not, what is the true position. [HL1972]
§ The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston)The Prime Minister has today published a list of gifts received by Ministers. The list provides details of gifts received since June 200 I valued at more than £140. Copies of the list have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
It is standard practice for there to be a dialogue between departments and the ombudsman about draft reports. A meeting was held between the permanent secretaries in the Cabinet Office and the Lord Chancellor's Department and the ombudsman as part of this process. It was not an attempt to change the ombudsman's finding. The final decision on what is in the report is for the ombudsman.