New paperwork reveal the extent of a Labour peer’s involvement in organising the attendance of a minister at a industrial occasion in parliament.
Emails present how David Evans contacted officers working carefully with Sharon Taylor, a housing minister within the Home of Lords, who was to be the keynote speaker at an occasion on housing that Lord Evans of Watford was internet hosting in parliament.
Evans is underneath formal investigation by the Home of Lords watchdog after a collection of Guardian tales revealed his involvement in an obvious cash-for-access enterprise. He hosted industrial occasions in parliament, much like the one to which he invited Taylor, on behalf of his son Richard’s firm, which was charging as much as £25,000 for sponsorship of the occasions. Evans owns a one-third shareholding within the enterprise.
Taylor pulled out of the occasion after she was contacted by the Guardian. Evans has beforehand advised the Guardian he has not breached the Lords code of conduct, or taken any private profit.
The paperwork, launched underneath freedom of knowledge legal guidelines, present additional particulars on how Evans contacted Taylor’s non-public secretary in her ministerial workplace on 4 February. Copied into the e-mail was an deal with, redacted within the doc, at Octavius GB Ltd, his son’s firm.
Evans wrote: “Baroness Sharon Taylor kindly asked me to contact you regarding my invitation for her to be our keynote speaker at a prestigious event that I am hosting on the 12th June 2025.
“Commencing at 12.30pm in the Cholmondeley Room of the House of Lords. Guests include leading construction, development, architectural companies and their supply chain – essential in achieving HMG’s ambitious targets for new housing.”
On 10 February, the official confirmed it will be put in Taylor’s diary, and requested for additional data for the keynote speech to be drafted. Evans thanked the official and stated the occasion was now going to be on “housing and infrastructure – which fits precisely with the minister’s brief”.
Lower than two hours later, Richard Evans introduced on LinkedIn that Taylor can be the keynote speaker on the occasion. He wrote: “Do hurry and secure your ‘Early Bird’ place for this particular gathering.” Early chook tickets to the occasion had been offered as a part of a membership supply costing greater than £320.
Posts by Richard Evans about Taylor’s attendance included an enchantment to sponsor the occasion, for as much as £25,000.
On 12 February, Evans wrote to Taylor’s non-public secretary once more, sharing data on the themes he hoped the minister may focus on and providing additional assist if essential.
At no stage within the correspondence did Evans declare it was his son’s firm organising the occasion or point out his shareholding within the firm, which he advised the Guardian he had forgotten about.
Guidelines ban friends from exploiting their membership of the Lords. Whereas there are gray zones within the guidelines, friends should observe key rules, together with a requirement to behave as parliamentarians on their “personal honour”.
There are additionally guidelines barring friends from internet hosting for-profit occasions in parliament.
Hours after the Guardian contacted Taylor for remark, her non-public secretary knowledgeable Evans the minister would “no longer be able to attend this event”. There is no such thing as a suggestion she was conscious of its industrial nature.
The Lords commissioners for requirements are investigating Evans for potential breaches of the principles.
He’s certainly one of three friends being investigated after the Guardian’s reporting within the Lords debate collection, which examined the conduct of members of the higher chamber within the context of presidency plans for reform.
Evans was just lately cleared by a separate watchdog, the Workplace of the Registrar of Marketing consultant Lobbyists, which examines claims of improper lobbying. The watchdog discovered he had not obtained any fee as a person or by way of an organization, and thus no unregistered advisor lobbying had occurred.
The registrar has written to Richard Evans as a part of a separate investigation into Octavius GB Ltd and two different manufacturers and corporations he operates, in relation to potential unregistered advisor lobbying. The investigation has not but concluded.
A Ministry for Housing, Communities and Native Authorities spokesperson stated: “This invitation was initially accepted in principle but was later declined and the minister will not be attending this event in any capacity.”
David and Richard Evans had been approached for remark.
