Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I ask the Minister about subsection (4), which provides that where the Minister is satisfied that a member of the agency has failed to comply with subsection (1), the declaration of interest and the disclosure of a possible conflict of interest by a member, he may remove that member from office or take such other action as he considers appropriate. Why is there discretion? If a member of an agency such as this deliberately fails to make a disclosure the penalty should be dismissal at least.

I accept that there may be occasional genuine errors where people with complicated interlocking businesses may not know of an interest if something comes up at short notice. Nevertheless, where the Minister is satisfied that someone knew of an interest and did not disclose it there should be no discretion. The person should be removed from the agency. I would like the Minister's views.