Which Kent MPs in firing line for expenses?
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by political editor Paul Francis
Kent MPs will learn today if they are among those facing a
demand to repay wrongly claimed expenses or asked for further
details of their claims.
All MPs are poised to receive letters telling them the outcome
of an investigation into the abuse of the parliamentary allowances
system, initiated by the Government after the disclosure of details
of claims.
Several of the county’s MPs have already voluntarily paid back
money they received under the system.
But the official inquiry headed by Sir Jonathan Legg is reported
to have found that about half of all MPs can expect to be told they
should repay money or will be asked for receipts of other
claims.
That raises the prospect of other Kent MPs being asked to return
money and further unwelcome publicity for Parliament over the
scandal.
Others will be told they will face no action and there has been
nothing wrong with their claims.
The inquiry is said to have focused primarily on claims made for
second homes money. Letters from Sir Jonathan Legg will give a
detailed analysis of the claims made for the costs of running a
second home.
Those asked to repay money will have three weeks to challenge
the findings.
Audio: Thanet South MP
Steve Ladyman is interviewed by kmfm's Jo Sword
Earlier this year,
four of the county’s MPs repaid money claimed under the system.
The repayments covered claims for bedding, towels, bookcases and a
gas bill claimed for twice.
The largest sum was repaid by the Dartford Labour backbencher Dr
Howard Stoate.
He handed back more than £11,000 from money he claimed in
second homes allowance - among the top 10 sums returned by all MPs.
He has since said he is to stand down at the next election.
Gillingham Labour MP Paul Clark, a junior minister, handed back
£343.48 for a gas bill that was claimed for twice while the
Canterbury Conservative MP Julian Brazier has repaid £264 for
bedding and towels for a spare bedroom at his second home.
The letters could trigger police prosecutions.
In the wake of the scandal, Dr Steve Ladyman, the Thanet
South MP, also a vice chairman of the Labour party, said
MPs should face the same consequences as anyone else suspected
of fraud.
He said: "I do think the law and police action should apply to
MPs in the same way they apply to everyone else. If you can show
someone has committed fraud, they should face the
consequences."
Monday, October 12 2009
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