A BRITISH government minister faced demands last night that he repay the taxpayer at least £60,000 (€63,700) amid a furore over “indefensible” expenses claims to fund a second home occupied by his parents.
Tony McNulty, employment minister, insists he abided by Commons rules when drawing on taxpayer support for a second home in Harrow that is less than eight miles from his main home.
But he said he would stop making the claim and admitted there were “anomalies” in the expenses rules that need to be looked at.
The Conservatives, who are today expected to lodge a “sleaze” complaint with the standards watchdog, said he “can’t seem to get his story straight”.
Mr McNulty refused to say whether he decided to stop making the claim because the parliamentary standards watchdog launched an inquiry into the use of a second home allowance by Jacqui Smith, the home secretary.
Mr McNulty’s mother and father live in his Harrow constituency home, which the MP says he occasionally uses at weekends for work. The vast majority of the minister’s time is spent at his Hammersmith home, less than 10 miles from his constituency and the Commons.
The Commons rules on the allowance state that MPs “must avoid any arrangement which may give rise to an accusation that you are, or someone close to you is, obtaining an immediate benefit or subsidy from public funds”.
The allowance of up to £24,000 is intended to allow MPs with constituencies outside London to fund and furnish lodgings.
But some ministers fear unusual arrangements are further damaging the standing of parliament by highlighting expenses rules that seem out of step with practices outside Westminster.
In spite of voting against such reforms last year, Mr McNulty yesterday called for a review of the system that offers allowances to MPs in the London commuter belt. – ( Financial Timesservice)