Parliamentary passes abuse warning

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

It was revealed on Tuesday that parliamentary passes, giving access to the Palace of Westminster and its facilities, have been secured by peers for lobbyists and pressure groups who pay them.

The passes are supposed to be issued to secretaries and researchers who work in peers' offices.

However, The Times used information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FoI), to name several Lords, mostly Labour, who had industry representatives on their list of "staff" holding passes.

The Leader of the Lords, Baroness Ashton of Upholland, said she would act to tackle any abuse of the system.

"The House of Lords carries out legislation well. If there are any abuses of the pass system, then they will be investigated and stamped out," she said.

The Times reported that on a list of passholders obtained under FoI, several of the passes were allocated to individuals with links to organisations which paid the Lords involved.

However one of the peers concerned, Lord Berkeley, strongly denied doing anything wrong. According to the paper, the peer, who is chairman of the Rail Freight Group, gave a pass to the organisation's development and communications manager, Neil Stevens.

Lord Berkeley told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that it had been "convenient" to use Mr Stevens, who had helped him to research speeches on a range of the transport issues.

"He is actually working on my behalf in the Lords. He doesn't work full time for the Rail Freight Group. What comes out of this is speeches in the Lords and if I ever talk about Rail Freight I always declare my interest," he said.