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MPs could face criminal charges over expenses

Source ITN

Updated on 24 June 2009

Criminal charges could be brought against MPs who break new rules on expenses and allowances.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he wants the new Parliamentary Standards Authority Bill, published on Tuesday, on the statute book by the time MPs break for the summer recess next month.

The Bill will create a new independent watchdog to regulate MPs' expenses, backed up by criminal sanctions. It is expected to have the power to fine, suspend or expel errant MPs from the House of Commons.

Mr Brown said: "There are indeed criminal offences in this Bill so that if an MP misleads deliberately or if an MP does something like, without reasonable excuse, fails to register a relevant interest, that is a criminal offence and that would then be investigated by the police."

He said the Government is acting now - with the support of the Opposition - to get rid of the old system of self-regulation by MPs because past attempts by the Commons to reform itself had failed.

Mr Brown added: "The mistake of the past was simply to leave everything to the House of Commons to do it on an all-party agreement basis so that you got to lowest common denominator. That has proven to be wrong. It wasn't acceptable."

He said that, if the new system proves to be insufficient, the Government is prepared to bring in further measures.

He continued: "We will go further in future if we need to, like, for example, making sure that the rules for expulsion are clear, the rules for suspension for a period of time are clear, and the rules for repaying money are clear.

"We are determined to do everything in our power to clean this up and I am not going to rest until we have this got this legislation through."

In a statement, Commons Leader Harriet Harman said: "The public want to be able to have full confidence in the Parliamentary system.

"Members want there to be full confidence in the system so that the cloud of suspicion is lifted and so that the reputation of the House can be restored."

She said a review of all expenses over the last four years was being carried out by Sir Thomas Legg .

Ms Harman warned: "The public expect that overclaims will be paid back - and that will happen together with any necessary disciplinary action."

© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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