Tory MP cleared over expenses claims
Conservative MP Alan Duncan cleared of breaching expenses rules
Thursday, 05, Nov 2009 11:39
By Richard James.
Conservative MP Alan Duncan has been cleared by the Commons' standards and privileges committee of breaching expenses rules.
Mr Duncan had been accused of taking out a mortgage on a home that he already owned, so as to claim interest payments.
The shadow prisons minister referred himself to the watchdog following the allegations, but maintained he had acted within the rules.
Today the Commons committee ruled there was indeed nothing in the Tory MP's mortgage arrangements that breached Commons rules.
The committee also declared he had acted reasonably in the affair as he was cleared of breaching parliamentary rules.
The news will come as a relief for Mr Duncan after watching former ministers Jacqui Smith and Tony McNulty forced to apologise to the Commons for their expenses claims in recent weeks.
The Tory MP has already suffered considerably in the expenses scandal though after re-paying £4,000 in gardening claims.
He was also demoted from his shadow leader of the house role after being caught on camera claiming MPs were being forced to "live on rations".