LONDON (AFP) - Powerful industry organisations are funding supposedly independent British parliamentary groups investigating policies in which they have a commercial interest, The Times newspaper claims.
According to their investigation, organisations within the nuclear, drinks and pharmaceutical industries are funding and even writing policy reports in the name of all-party groups of lawmakers.
Two thirds of the nearly-300 such groups are now assisted by special interest groups, the newspaper said.
The groups have no formal powers but are influential and can make policy recommendations.
The Times said the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group ran an inquiry into local pub closures. Its members campaigned to cut beer duty. The newspaper said the group received 42,425 pounds (62,025 euros, 74,675 dollars) from breweries and pub companies.
According to the paper, the All-Party Pharmacy Group admitted lobbyists working on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry wrote reports on its behalf.
The group on identity fraud warned that Christmas cards could be targeted by fraudsters and should be shredded. An office supplier which makes shredders is funding the group, The Times said.
Sir Alistair Graham, chairman of the committee on standards in public life, said he was concerned and surprised by the report.
"This would certainly raised some questions that the committee would like to give some thought to. It deserves to come into the public domain," he told The Times.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards would not intervene because it was a matter for individual lawmakers, the newspaper said.