Legg reduces Clarke's expenses bill
Updated on 21 October 2009
The parliamentary expenses auditor apologises to the Conservative frontbencher Kenneth Clarke for asking him to repay too much money.
Sir Thomas Legg asked the shadow business secretary to hand back £4,700 he had claimed in expenses. He has now reduced this sum to £1,300.
Political correspondent Cathy Newman says: "He has issued an unreserved apology for getting his sums wrong by more than £3,000. He blames duplicate claims forms in the Common's records for his error, but unfortunately for him it's not the only one.
"The Labour MP Michael Clapham was asked to reply £540 in mortgage interest. He queried that and now Sir Thomas has written him a letter saying no further action is required and he won't have to repay it.
"Another Labour MP John Mann, who has led calls for a complete overhaul of expenses, won't have to repay £110, and in his case Sir Thomas has blamed a clerical error.
"A spokeswoman for Sir Thomas has said that there have been a small number of cases where these mistakes have been made and apologies will be issued.
"But it has certainly added to a real feeling of resentment here amongst MPs. They were already seething about Sir Thomas' decision to impose retrospective caps on cleaning and gardening expenses. MPs felt that that was a kind of rough justice. They feel that these mistakes are really a bit of an injustive."
