Robinson faces official complaint

A formal complaint was lodged yesterday with Sir Gordon Downey, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, about Geoffrey Robinson's non-disclosure of his interest in an offshore family trust.

Peter Lilley, the shadow Chancellor, said in a letter to Sir Gordon yesterday that he understood trusts did not always have close links with their beneficiaries.

But he argued that the connection between the Paymaster General and the Orion Trust was particularly close because of Mr Robinson's alleged influence over its share-buying decisions.

One Labour source said last night that if Sir Gordon ruled that trusts should be registered by MPs, there would be no problem for Mr Robinson - because everybody knew about his trust now - but he said that such a ruling could force Conservative MPs to expose any trusts that they might currently be the beneficiaries of.

In his submission to Sir Gordon, Mr Lilley cited a statement made by the minister's solicitors last week; that Mr Robinson had no influence over the trust - something that had been contradicted in weekend newspaper interviews.

Mr Lilley also asked Sir Gordon if he would go beyond his Commons remit, and examine "the apparent conflict of interest between the Paymaster's links with the Orion Trust and his ministerial responsibility for policy towards the taxation of such trusts".

Sir Gordon has already told Mr Lilley that he is unable to do that, as that is a matter for the Prime Minister - who has already ruled that Mr Robinson has done no wrong, there is no conflict of interest, and that, as far as he is concerned, that is the end of the matter.