a possible breach of the ministerial code. Conservative Party loans On 31 March 2006 the Conservative Party published a list of 13 wealthy individuals and companies to whom it owed a total of £15.95 million: Henry Angest – £550,000 – Chairman and Chief Executive of the Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC Michael Ashcroft, Baron Ashcroft – £3.6 million Cringle Corporation – £450,000 Dame Vivien Duffield – £250,000 Johan Eliasch – £2.6 million Graham Facks-Martin – £50,000 Michael Hintze – £2.5 m – owner of CQS Management Irvine Laidlaw, Baron Laidlaw – £3.5 million Alan Lewis – £100,000 Raymond Richards (deceased) – £1 million Victoria, Lady de Rothschild – £1 million Leonard Steinberg, Baron Steinberg – £250,000 Charles Wigoder – £100,000 – Chief Executive of Telecom Plus Total: £15,950,000 The identity of 10 backers it had repaid – including a number of foreign nationals – was not revealed. These loans had totalled £5 million. Some of these lenders were concerned not to reveal their identity fearing that it might compromise their existing business arrangements with the government. Their details, including one foreign backer, will be provided "in confidence" to the Electoral Commission. Initially the party had sought not to disclose to anyone the names of two lenders who requested confidentiality. The party had an outstanding £16 million bank loan and £4.7 million was owed to local Conservative Party associations. The Electoral Commission welcomed the decision to publish the list – but said it had written to the party asking for more details on the loan terms. Criminal investigation Corrupt procurement and award of honours is legislated against by the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 and the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889 and the Metropolitan Police investigated the three complaints that they had received under these Acts. The police are also investigating whether false declarations were made to the Electoral Commission, which is an offence under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. On 27 March they gave MPs more details of its inquiry into the complaints and the Public Administration Select Committee agreed to postpone its hearing on this issue in order not to prejudice possible police action. The criminal inquiry and the Electoral Commission investigation both stretch back to 2001. 6 April 2006 – Electoral Commission announced that its own investigation was to be suspended until the police completed their inquiries. The Electoral Commission was not satisfied that