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Watchdog Submits Report on Prescott

The parliamentary commissioner for standards Sir Philip Mawer has submitted his report covering John Prescott's controversial stay with casino tycoon Philip Anschutz.

Sir Philip has been tasked to investigate whether there were any conflicts of interest in the Prescott's visit to the billionaire's Colorado ranch in July last year.

Anschutz is the owner of the Millennium Dome in London, and is bidding for the license to turn it into Britain's first super casino.

The standards watchdog has now passed his report to the committee on standards and privileges, Sir Philip's office said in a statement.

"The parliamentary commissioner for standards, Sir Philip Mawer, has this morning submitted to the committee on standards and privileges his report on the parliamentary issues raised with him by Mr Hugo Swire MP about Mr Prescott's stay in July 2005 at the ranch of Mr Philip Anschutz," it said.

In a rowdy exchange in a Commons dialogue, Hammersmith and Fulham MP Greg Hands said: "Surely by giving such privileged access to one of the bidders, he has seriously compromised the whole bidding process for Britain's only regional casino?"

But Prescott alleged that Hands has been "reading too many press cuttings".

"Let us be clear, as I have been, that I was not associated in any way with the planning of the Dome or the sale of the Dome and the decisions were taken in the department by other ministers which I informed this house about," Prescott said.

"As for meeting Mr Anschutz... I did promise at the beginning when I met him to see if he was a carrying out the obligations of the development of the Dome, which meant 10,000 new homes, 24,000 jobs, 5b UK Pounds in private investment. I'm quite prepared to meet people who provide jobs and investment of that kind and it was quite right," he added.

 

Tuesday, 01. 2006
Victor Copeland