BRITISH LAWMAKERS AGREED ON TUESDAY TO GIVE POLICE UNTIL JULY TO PROBE CHARGES THAT THE RULING LABOUR PARTY OFFERED PEERAGES TO WEALTHY BUSINESSMEN WHO LENT IT MONEY, BREAKING THE LAW, REUTERS REPORTED. THE LAWMAKERS DECIDED TO GIVE THE POLICE PRIORITY AND SUSPENDED THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ALLEGATIONS, ONE OF A SERIES OF SCANDALS THAT HAVE LED TO WIDESPREAD CRITICISM OF PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR AND CONTRIBUTED TO A DRUBBING FOR LABOUR IN RECENT LOCAL ELECTIONS. THE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING ACCUSATIONS THAT BLAIR'S OFFICE NOMINATED SEVERAL MILLIONAIRES FOR SEATS IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS -- PARLIAMENT'S UNELECTED UPPER CHAMBER -- IN RETURN FOR LOANS TO LABOUR OR FUNDING FOR NEW SCHOOLS. A 1925 LAW MADE IT ILLEGAL TO SELL SEATS IN THE LORDS. LABOUR DENIES THE ALLEGATIONS. LONDON POLICE ASKED THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE PROBING THE CASE ON MONDAY TO DELAY QUIZZING WITNESSES KEY TO THE CRIMINAL PROBE UNTIL THE POLICE HAD SEEN THEM. THE POLICE, WHO HOPE TO PRODUCE A PRELIMINARY REPORT FOR PROSECUTORS IN SEPTEMBER, FEARED THE COMMITTEE'S PUBLIC HEARINGS COULD JEOPARDISE THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. THE ALL-PARTY PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE AGREED TO GIVE THE POLICE UNTIL JULY TO CARRY OUT THEIR INQUIRIES. "IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE POLICE TO PROGRESS (WITH) THEIR INQUIRIES FURTHER, WE WILL NOT, AT THIS STAGE TAKE FURTHER EVIDENCE FROM THOSE CLASSIFIED AS KEY WITNESSES IN THE POLICE INQUIRY..." A COMMITTEE STATEMENT SAID. BUT IT ADDED: "THE COMMITTEE IS NOT CONTENT TO LET THE POLICE INQUIRY STRETCH INTO AN INDEFINITE FUTURE, PREVENTING PARLIAMENT CONDUCTING ITS OWN INQUIRIES." TONY WRIGHT, THE LABOUR LEGISLATOR HEADING THE PARLIAMENTARY ENQUIRY, SAID HIS COMMITTEE WOULD MAKE AN INITIAL REPORT SOON AND DECIDE ITS NEXT STEP IN JULY AFTER BEING UPDATED BY POLICE. POLICE ARE EXPECTED TO QUESTION SENIOR GOVERNMENT FIGURES INCLUDING BLAIR'S CHIEF FUNDRAISER, LORD LEVY. --MORE
