1 week ago
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New documents reveal the extent of a Labour peer’s involvement in organising the attendance of a minister at a commercial event in parliament.
Emails show how David Evans contacted officials working closely with Sharon Taylor, a housing minister in the House of Lords, who was to be the keynote speaker at an event on housing that Lord Evans of Watford was hosting in parliament.
Evans is under formal investigation by the House of Lords watchdog after a series of Guardian stories revealed his involvement in an apparent cash-for-access venture. He hosted commercial events in parliament, similar to the one to which he invited Taylor, on behalf of his son Richard’s company, which was charging up to £25,000 for sponsorship of the events. Evans owns a one-third shareholding in the business.
Taylor pulled out of the event after she was contacted by the Guardian. Evans has previously told the Guardian he has not breached the Lords code of conduct, or taken any personal benefit.
The documents, released under freedom of information laws, provide further details on how Evans contacted Taylor’s private secretary in her ministerial office on 4 February. Copied into the email was an address, redacted in the document, at Octavius GB Ltd, his son’s company.
Evans wrote: “Baroness Sharon Taylor kindly asked me to contact you regarding my invitation for her to be our keynote speaker at a prestigious event that I am hosting on the 12th June 2025.
“Commencing at 12.30pm in the Cholmondeley Room of the House of Lords. Guests include leading construction, development, architectural companies and their supply chain – essential in achieving HMG’s ambitious targets for new housing.”
On 10 February, the official confirmed it would be put in Taylor’s diary, and asked for further information for the keynote speech to be drafted. Evans thanked the official and said the event was now going to be on “housing and infrastructure – which fits precisely with the minister’s brief”.
Less than two hours later, Richard Evans announced on LinkedIn that Taylor would be the keynote speaker at the event. He wrote: “Do hurry and secure your ‘Early Bird’ place for this particular gathering.” Early bird tickets to the event had been sold as part of a membership offer costing more than £320.
Posts by Richard Evans about Taylor’s attendance included an appeal to sponsor the event, for up to £25,000.
On 12 February, Evans wrote to Taylor’s private secretary again, sharing information on the subjects he hoped the minister might discuss and offering further help if necessary.
At no stage in the correspondence did Evans declare it was his son’s company organising the event or mention his shareholding in the company, which he told the Guardian he had forgotten about.
Rules ban peers from exploiting their membership of the Lords. While there are grey zones in the rules, peers must follow key principles, including a requirement to act as parliamentarians on their “personal honour”.
There are also rules barring peers from hosting for-profit events in parliament.
Hours after the Guardian contacted Taylor for comment, her private secretary informed Evans the minister would “no longer be able to attend this event”. There is no suggestion she was aware of its commercial nature.
The Lords commissioners for standards are investigating Evans for potential breaches of the rules.
He is one of three peers being investigated after the Guardian’s reporting in the Lords debate series, which examined the conduct of members of the upper chamber in the context of government plans for reform.
Evans was recently cleared by a separate watchdog, the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists, which examines claims of improper lobbying. The watchdog found he had not received any payment as an individual or through a company, and thus no unregistered consultant lobbying had occurred.
The registrar has written to Richard Evans as part of a separate investigation into Octavius GB Ltd and two other brands and companies he operates, in relation to potential unregistered consultant lobbying. The investigation has not yet concluded.
A Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “This invitation was initially accepted in principle but was later declined and the minister will not be attending this event in any capacity.”
David and Richard Evans were approached for comment.
