Former Dairy UK chair breached Parliamentary rules

Mr Curry, Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, was chairman of Dairy UK between August 2005 and September 2008 and under Parliamentary rules should have agreed to a rule stating he would not participate in lobbying activities on behalf of Dairy UK.

But an investigation by the Standards and Privileges Committee concluded he was in breach of those rules.

In evidence to the committee, Mr Curry said: “If I have been in breach of Parliamentary rules, I apologise without reservation. I ask the committee to accept my actions have been entirely in good faith.”

The committee did accept Mr Curry would not have allowed Dairy UK to ask him to engage in advocacy.

Mr Curry, who was paid a salary of over £35,000 for this work with Dairy UK and received a payment of £20,000 when it ended, has also been investigated for breaching rules on second home expenses.

The Standards and Privileges Committee again found him in ‘serious breach’ of the rules and told to repay £28,000 and apologise to Parliament.

Mr Curry is standing down at the general election.

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