Conservative MP George Freeman has been instructed he won’t face a parliamentary requirements investigation for lobbying.
The MP for Mid-Norfolk had referred himself to the requirements commissioner in June, when claims emerged that an organization that he labored for helped him write inquiries to authorities.
As a former science minister, Freeman had beforehand been suggested that lobbying the Labour authorities might be a battle of pursuits.
Freeman stated he was “delighted” with the choice there weren’t adequate grounds for a proper investigation and labelled the claims “unfounded”.
In an announcement, he added: “The Commissioner has reiterated that the lobbying guidelines don’t prohibit [MPs] asking [Parliamentary] Questions or advocating for sectors or problems with public curiosity, even the place they themselves might have a monetary curiosity, so long as the foundations on registration and declaration are adopted. As was the case with my Questions.”
The “money for questions” allegations arose round Freeman’s function as an adviser for GHGSat, which owns and operates greenhouse fuel monitoring satellites.
Claims that Freeman had consulted with the corporate’s director over “what to ask about” when submitting parliamentary questions first emerged within the Sunday Occasions.
In one other e mail, he allegedly requested if the corporate might assist him “get the wording proper”, which he might then “convert into parliamentary language” for questions he was submitting associated to area knowledge and emissions monitoring.
In an announcement to the BBC on the time, Freeman stated he didn’t consider he did something improper, whereas his celebration stated it will be “inappropriate” to remark whereas inquiries have been ongoing.
Freeman took up the function on the environmental monitoring firm in April 2024, with the MP’s register of pursuits stating he acquired a month-to-month wage of £5,000 for eight hours work per thirty days, earlier than leaving the function in March this yr.
After he notified appointments watchdog Acoba, concerning the function, it suggested him he “shouldn’t grow to be personally concerned in lobbying the UK authorities” on behalf of GHGSat.
Freeman served as science minister beneath each Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, and now sits on the science, innovation and expertise committee.
The Conservatives and the Parliamentary Requirements Commissioner have been contacted for remark.
