McNulty ordered to repay expenses
Updated on 29 October 2009
Former Home Office minister Tony McNulty is ordered to repay almost £14,000 after claiming a second home allowance for his parents' house.
The Commons standards and privileges committee ruled that Mr McNulty breached Commons rules by making a claim for expenses that were "not wholly and exclusively incurred in connection with his parliamentary duties" and "had the effect of subsidising the living costs of Mr McNulty's parents from public funds," the committee said.
Mr McNulty claimed a total of £60,000 in expenses on the north west London house, which he owns, after moving to his new wife's home when they married in 2002. He insisted he had not broken the rules, as he continued to use the house as a base when working in his Harrow constituency at weekends.
The row over expenses could spread to the House of Lords, when a report is published setting out reforms, following controversy over allowances and lobbying activities.
The Eames report wants to restore public confidence in the Lords, and will propose changes to their code of conduct, which requires peers to "act always on their personal honour".
Chris Galley from the Sunlight Centre for Open Politics, who campaign for transparency and openness in the British political system, told Channel 4 News at Noon that the rules for the House of Lords on expenses are "very vague".
"I think there should be a complete overhaul of the Lords rule book," he said. "There should be a complete overhaul of the expenses system in the House of Lords that would allow Lords to claim proper expenses, the Lords who actually do work in the House of Lords."
