Conduct Of The Hon Member For Enfield North

EDM number 1344 in 1992-93, proposed by Gerry Steinberg on 08/02/1993.

That this House is dismayed by the revelation that the Treasury paid the legal costs of the honourable Member for Enfield North after he was forced to retract a statement made when, as a Minister for Education, he broadcast live from the Conservative Party Conference in October 1991 and made false allegations against the National Union of Teachers; believes that his accusation that the NUT 'subscribed heavily to the Labour Party' did not arise from government business but was a party political statement made against a union not affiliated to any political party and whose rules do not allow for the funding of political parties; notes the legal proceedings had been issued only when a retraction and apology were not forthcoming from the honourable Member and his delay in apologising led to an increase in costs to a total of ú1,435.65; recalls a motion before the House saying the costs arising from this case should be paid by the honourable Member and not the Treasury; demands the honourable Member for Enfield North reimburses the Treasury to the amount of ú1,435.65; and calls for a detailed inquiry into the practice and rules governing the payment of money by the Treasury to meet the legal bills of Government Ministers.

This motion has been signed by a total of 68 MPs.