Mid-Norfolk Tory MP suspended from trade role after referral to parliamentary watchdog
Conservative MP George Freeman has been "asked to step back" according to Downing Street
Conservative MP George Freeman has been "asked to step back" from his role as a Government trade envoy, Downing Street has said.
The move came after Mr Freeman referred himself to the parliamentary watchdog following claims that he was paid by a company that helped him write questions to government departments.
Over the weekend, The Times newspaper reported that Mr Freeman submitted queries to Labour ministers about the sector the firm operates in, and he referred himself to the parliamentary watchdog over the matter.
Mr Freeman was listed on the Government website as a trade envoy for Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Brunei, but Downing Street said on Monday this role had been "suspended".
A Number 10 spokesman said: "Parliamentary standards are a matter for the House and the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.
"And you can see the individual has referred himself to that process.
"While that investigation takes place, it is right he has been asked to step back from the role, and he has been suspended in representing the UK as a trade envoy until that process has been concluded."
At the weekend, The Times published what it said were leaked emails that showed exchanges in which Mr Freeman had asked the company's director what to ask about as he prepared written parliamentary questions related to space data and emissions tracking.
He reportedly tabled the questions, which are a way for MPs to ask for more information on the policies and activities of Government departments, to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Mr Freeman, the MP for Mid-Norfolk, became a paid adviser with GHGSat, a monitoring service for greenhouse gas emissions, in April last year.