ontologies

Category 8: Gifts, benefits and hospitality

Any gift to the member or the member’s spouse or partner, or any other material benefit, of a value greater than £300, from any company, organisation or person, within the UK or overseas, which relates substantially to membership of the House. Further guidance on accepting gifts, benefits and hospitality is in the report from the Committee for Privileges and Conduct, Guidance to members on accepting gifts, benefits and hospitality (1st report, session 2015–16, HL Paper 14).

  1. Any gift, or other benefit, which relates substantially to membership of the House and which is either given free of charge or provided at a cost below that generally available to members of the public, should be registered whenever the value or potential value of the gift or benefit is greater than £300, unless the member gives the gift to charity within the period required for registration. Benefits include loans, tickets to cultural and sporting events, hospitality, travel and accommodation upgrades. The date of receipt should also be registered. A gift or benefit available to all members should not be registered.

  2. Gifts and other benefits from the same source in the course of a calendar year the gift of which related substantially to membership of the House and which cumulatively are of a value greater than £300 should be registered, even if each single gift or benefit is of lesser value.

  3. Hospitality provided by His Majesty’s Government, any of the devolved institutions in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, the Greater London Authority, local authorities, non-departmental public bodies or health authorities, is exempt from registration.

  4. A member who leads a parliamentary sporting group which is not registered as an all-party parliamentary group must register benefits given to the group as if they were given to him or her personally.

  5. Gifts and material benefits that do not relate substantially to membership of the House are exempt from registration.

  6. Gifts and material benefits should be registered within one month of receipt; the entry will remain on the Register for a period of one year from the date of receipt. Any gifts and material benefits which, contrary to the requirements of the Code, are registered more than one month after receipt shall however remain on the Register for one year after the date of disclosure.
  7. Gifts received by the Lord Speaker in connection with the performance of his public duties are registered separately, irrespective of value, in a register maintained by his private office. Ministers register gifts and benefits received in their capacity as a minister with the Cabinet Office, but opposition spokespeople must register all gifts and benefits above the threshold in the Lords’ Register in the same way as any other member.