Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson should disclose legal advice he was given about claims surrounding his wife’s finances, Sir Christopher Kelly said tonight.
The Westminster watchdog said questions would remain until the information was published.
The BBC claimed Mr Robinson did not report his wife Iris’s financial dealings to the authorities despite the obligations of the ministerial code of conduct. But the Democratic Unionist leader said legal advice showed no breach had happened.
Sir Christopher said: “What I can say, because it’s been a long-established position of the committee [on standards in public life], is that when
allegations are made about ministerial behaviour which are then covered by an investigation, that investigation should always be published, both to give the public assurance that the matter has been properly dealt with and also frankly to protect the reputation of the minister concerned.”
He conducted a recent inquiry into MPs’ expenses and appeared today before the Northern Ireland Assembly’s standards and privileges committee.
It is holding an inquiry into the code of conduct for assembly members and the appointment of an assembly commissioner for standards.
The BBC Spotlight programme reported that Iris Robinson obtained £50,000 from two developers to help her teenage lover Kirk McCambley open a cafe business. It said that she broke the law by not declaring her financial interest in a public contract.
It also reported that Mr Robinson did not report her dealings to the relevant authorities, despite being obliged by the ministerial code to act in the public interest at all times. The BBC has defended its allegations.
Mr Robinson stepped aside from his role as Northern Ireland first minister in January, saying he needed to clear his name in light of the allegation made by the programme.
The Government’s legal service appointed Paul Maguire QC to look at the issue. On February 4, the DUP leader resumed the role after saying Mr Maguire had formed the opinion that, going on the information provided to him, he had not breached the ministerial code.
Earlier this month, a party spokesman said Mr Robinson was very keen that the advice can be released in as transparent and complete a form as possible but added there were legal impediments.
Mr Robinson is asking the finance minister, party colleague Sammy Wilson, who commissioned the advice, how publication could be achieved.
PA