The Independent, Andrew Grice, 27/6/2008

More than 30 members of the House of Lords employ staff who also work for lobbyists, companies or business trade groups, it has emerged.

MPs called for a crackdown to prevent peers employing as assistants people who also work for commercial interests because they receive security passes giving them privileged access to ministers, MPs and peers.

Robin Ashby, a defence industry lobbyist, was stripped of his House of Lords pass yesterday after The Independent disclosed he is employed by Baroness Harris of Richmond, a Liberal Democrat peer, as a research assistant. She withdrew the pass after Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, ordered that his party should not be associated with such practices.

A party spokesman said: "Baroness Harris recognises that in view of Mr Ashby's other commercial interests this arrangement is open to misinterpretation and she will therefore now withdraw Mr Ashby's pass."

A study of a new House of Lords staff list by The Independent found that nine peers employ public affairs consultants or lobbyists; 10 employ people who also work for groups representing business organisations and eight employ people who work directly for companies.

Some MPs believe the Lords' rules are too lax and that, with the Commons more alert to the dangers of "cash-for-access", the second chamber has been targeted by lobbyists to gain access to decision-makers.

Jennifer Bryant- Pearson, managing director of JBP Public Relations Ltd, is on the staff of Lord Gordon of Strathblane, a Labour peer. The firm's website says: "JBP has developed a strong track record in the FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) and retail sector, including food and drink products, pet products, cosmetics and retail outlets." JBP says it helps its clients to "influence national and European policy and legislation" and offers "contact programmes with members of all three UK-based parliaments and the European Parliament". Ms Bryant-Pearson declined to return telephone calls yesterday.

Some peers employ staff who also work for firms from which they receive payment themselves. Mark Bassett, head of public policy at Bupa, the independent health insurance firm, is employed by Lord Leitch, a Labour peer. Lord Leitch is non-executive chairman of Bupa.

The Labour peer Lord Howie of Troon is a publishing consultant to Parliamentary Perceptions Ltd, a Westminster-based consultancy providing political intelligence and events management. Its managing director Brian Smith is on his Lords staff.

The Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC) said that its members should not employ people who have parliamentary passes. Not all the firms with access to Parliament have joined the association.

John Grogan, a Labour backbencher, said an inquiry by the Commons Public Administration Select Committee to report this autumn should consider whether the APPC's own rules are being enforced. "MPs and peers have a clear duty to ensure that passes are used exclusively for parliamentary work," he said.

Mr Ashby, chairman of Bergmans, told BBC Radio 4 that his pass had been withdrawn on the basis of "an inaccurate story" in The Independent – but did not explain what was inaccurate. He insisted that he had been "entirely honourable, straightforward and open". He said he spent half his time working for no payment on projects such as "welcome home" events for troops but his commercial activities were not dependent on his pass. Asked why the defence firms Lockheed and BAE Systems were listed on his company's website, he said it was "wrong", that he had "not seen it for some time" and would "review it". He added: "I think it is very sad that the House authorities have reacted in this way."