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Which Kent MPs in firing line for expenses?

Houses of Parliament
Houses of Parliament

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."

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