Outside "earnings" update

Following my declaration of the strawberries I must complete the record by stating that I received the following reply from the registrar


The Registrar advises that the charity event does not come into the category of employment. You might only have to register this if anyone sponsored you for more than £650 to take part in the event. I assume this was not the case but please let me know if I am wrong.

I claimed in the first place to clarify the position because some of us had been told that anything we received "payment" for (in spondulicks or in kind) had to be declared. Obviously we don't want to unwittingly fall foul of the rules so these things have to be tested out. So, it does seem sensible to me that charity events are exempt. I have yet to declare the first small token thank you for a constituency related speech but shall keep you posted.

The problem is not the declaration in itself but the fact that unsolicited gifts to the value of £649 do not have to be declared. Surely it is time to lower the limit for this part of the register of interests.