Ian Greer Associates And Central Tv (No. 2)

EDM number 1492 in 1993-94, proposed by Alan Williams on 12/07/1994.

That this House notes that Central Television still refuses to show the suppressed Cook Report on the activities of Ian Greer Associates; believes that the 14 honourable Members whose names he or his associates use to establish Ian Greer Associates credentials with its prospective clients have a right to know that their names are being used, especially as, in addition to backbenchers, he names PPS's to Cabinet Ministers, Ministers to whom he claims to have access, and even boasts of holding a lunch for clients at which the Prime Minister was a guest; emphasises that there is no suggestion of impropriety on the part of those named and believes that they are the innocent victims of Ian Greer Associates' tactics, and that they and the House should be aware of the way in which honourable Members are used by Ian Greer Associates; regards as ludicrous the attempts by Andy Allen, Chief Executive of Central Television, to equate his suppression of a report by his own investigative team with the principled stand by journalists who have refused to reveal sources or of television editors who have refused to provide filmed evidence when their film crews' physical safety could be put at risk; dismisses as even more absurd Mr Allen's other claim that the programme was not broadcast because the public would not be interested; but particularly believes that this film provides evidence of the need to tighten the rules relating to Members' interests and of the need to review the activities of parliamentary lobbyists.

This motion has been signed by a total of 58 MPs.