(472)  McCONNELL’S WARK VILLA VISIT OK

On 7 June 2005 the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner ruled that the failure of the First Minister Jack McConnell to disclose in the Scottish Parliament’s register of members’ interests his holiday stay (with his family) in the Spanish holiday villa of TV presenter Kirsty Wark and her family did not amount to a benefit in kind and need not be registered (see previously No 436). The MSPs’ Code of Conduct requires them to register any foreign trips not paid for by the member, whatever their purpose or nature.  But the Commissioner found that Mr McConnell booked and paid for his family’s return flights and also paid for the hire of a car during the trip at Hogmanay 2004.