Vaz agrees to give 'general' evidence to sleaze inquiry
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Your support makes all the difference.Keith Vaz, who was suspended from the House of Commons after "serious breaches" of the MPs' code of conduct, is to give evidence to an inquiry into sleaze.
The former Europe minister has agreed to answer questions next week from the Committee on Standards in Public Life, chaired by Sir Nigel Wicks, about the way allegations of misconduct are investigated. He is expected to criticise aspects of the inquiry process led by Elizabeth Filkin, the former parliamentary commissioner for standards.
Mr Vaz, who was the subject of two high-profile investigations into his business affairs, has already submitted written evidence to the committee.
The Labour MP will be questioned by members of the committee, including Chris Smith, the former secretary of state for culture, about whether the system of scrutiny into MPs' conduct works smoothly and fairly.
Sources close to the committee said yesterday that Mr Vaz would not be asked about the inquiries into his affairs. "They might ask him in general terms whether the system is capable of being fair, but they won't be asking for a blow-by-blow account of how he was treated specifically," one source said.
One inquiry into Mr Vaz found that he was guilty of "contempt" of the Commons by "wrongfully interfering with the House's investigative process". Mr Vaz was also alleged to have been one of the MPs who ran a whispering campaign against Ms Filkin, although he denies this.
He said yesterday that he did not plan to comment on Ms Filkin or how he was treated but would give evidence on how to "improve the system".
He said: "What we want, and I think what the committee [on standards] wants, is a clearer understanding of the rules and process and procedure, and that's what so good about this inquiry. At the moment there is a mystique about the process."
Mr Vaz has criticised the lack of a right of appeal for MPs who are accused of breaching rules on parliamentary conduct. He has also condemned the way that reports were apparently leaked before publication to the press.
But, after recent changes to the code, Mr Vaz is likely to say that some of his concerns have been addressed. He is due to give evidence on Tuesday, with Hilary Armstrong, the Labour Chief Whip.
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