My Honourable Friend

My Liberal Democrat colleague Norman Baker MP has probably done more than anyone else to expose the lack of transparency in MP expenses, alongside cronyism and the misuse of Parliament for private gain. Tightening the system has been one of his many campaigns from the very first day he was elected in 1997. 

He was off to give a lecture to civil servants when I chatted with him at Westminster tube station today.  As one of the most prolific users of the parliamentary question system it was no surprise that he would be asked to explain how it works to those who are called upon to draft the answers. 

Norman told me that he takes these engagements seriously as he feels it is important to get across to civil servants that they shouldn't just view their jobs as serving ministers and the Government of the day, but that they have a responsibility to the members of both Houses of Parliament who table the questions to treat them seriously. 

He then revealed that he gets paid a modest sum of money for each lecture.  "Cash for questions Norman", I exclaimed.  "I hadn't thought about it like that", he smiled in reply.

My Liberal Democrat colleague Norman Baker MP has probably done more than anyone else to expose the lack of transparency in MP expenses, alongside cronyism and the misuse of Parliament for private gain. Tightening the system has been one of his many campaigns from the very first day he was elected in 1997. 

He was off to give a lecture to civil servants when I chatted with him at Westminster tube station today.  As one of the most prolific users of the parliamentary question system it was no surprise that he would be asked to explain how it works to those who are called upon to draft the answers. 

Norman told me that he takes these engagements seriously as he feels it is important to get across to civil servants that they shouldn't just view their jobs as serving ministers and the Government of the day, but that they have a responsibility to the members of both Houses of Parliament who table the questions to treat them seriously. 

He then revealed that he gets paid a modest sum of money for each lecture.  "Cash for questions Norman", I exclaimed.  "I hadn't thought about it like that", he smiled in reply.