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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Ex-minister faces expenses rebuke | Ex-minister faces expenses rebuke |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Former minister Tony McNulty is to be rebuked for his expenses claims following an inquiry and asked to repay about £13,000, the BBC understands. | Former minister Tony McNulty is to be rebuked for his expenses claims following an inquiry and asked to repay about £13,000, the BBC understands. |
| Mr McNulty has been investigated by the parliamentary standards watchdog for claiming the second home allowance for a property in which his parents lived. | Mr McNulty has been investigated by the parliamentary standards watchdog for claiming the second home allowance for a property in which his parents lived. |
| The Harrow property was eight miles away from his main central London home. | The Harrow property was eight miles away from his main central London home. |
| MPs face wide-ranging cuts to their second homes and other expenses, under proposals from an independent inquiry. | |
| Mr McNulty, who has maintained he did not break the rules, is likely to be asked to apologise to Parliament. | Mr McNulty, who has maintained he did not break the rules, is likely to be asked to apologise to Parliament. |
| Criticism | Criticism |
| If he does, he will become the second senior Labour figure to publicly apologise for their actions regarding the second home allowance after former home secretary Jacqui Smith did so earlier this month. | If he does, he will become the second senior Labour figure to publicly apologise for their actions regarding the second home allowance after former home secretary Jacqui Smith did so earlier this month. |
| He has defended the arrangement, saying he continued to use the property on weekends and he did not breach any rules MPs 'facing major expenses cuts' | |
| A report by Parliament's standards watchdog into Mr McNulty's conduct will be published on Thursday. | A report by Parliament's standards watchdog into Mr McNulty's conduct will be published on Thursday. |
| It is up to the Standards and Privileges Committee of MPs to decide what sanctions, if any, the former Home Office minister should face. | It is up to the Standards and Privileges Committee of MPs to decide what sanctions, if any, the former Home Office minister should face. |
| However, it is understood he will be asked to repay some money. | However, it is understood he will be asked to repay some money. |
| Mr McNulty left the government in June after months of criticism about his expenses claims, first highlighted by a Sunday newspaper. | Mr McNulty left the government in June after months of criticism about his expenses claims, first highlighted by a Sunday newspaper. |
| His case was referred to the standards commissioner John Lyon by the Tory MP Greg Hands, one of a handful of MPs' cases he is investigating. | His case was referred to the standards commissioner John Lyon by the Tory MP Greg Hands, one of a handful of MPs' cases he is investigating. |
| Since 2002, Mr McNulty claimed £60,000 for the house in his Harrow constituency, in north-west London, where his parents live. | Since 2002, Mr McNulty claimed £60,000 for the house in his Harrow constituency, in north-west London, where his parents live. |
| Mr McNulty lived in the house - which he owns - before his 2002 marriage to second wife Christine. He then moved to her home in west London. | Mr McNulty lived in the house - which he owns - before his 2002 marriage to second wife Christine. He then moved to her home in west London. |
| AREAS WITHIN 60 MINUTES' TRAVEL TIME OF WESTMINSTER | |
| Current rules on claiming a second home allowance exclude all constituencies within 20 miles (32km) of Westminster. This is a new rule - three months ago only Inner London MPs could not claim it. | |
| New rules due to be published on 4 November are expected to extend the limit to MPs living within 60 minutes' train journey of Westminster. Exactly how journey times will be judged is still not clear. This map is based on leaving home at 0800 to arrive at Parliament by public transport by 0900 on one day in October 2008. See MPs' expenses in full - 2007/2008 | |
| He has defended the arrangement, saying he continued to use the property on weekends and he did not breach any rules. | He has defended the arrangement, saying he continued to use the property on weekends and he did not breach any rules. |
| MPs are facing a radical overhaul of their expenses regime, according to leaked details of recommendations by the Kelly committee asked to draw up reforms to the current system. | MPs are facing a radical overhaul of their expenses regime, according to leaked details of recommendations by the Kelly committee asked to draw up reforms to the current system. |
| Among its reported proposals are that MPs should no longer be able to employ relatives and those living within a 60-minute train journey of London will no longer be able to claim money for a second home. | Among its reported proposals are that MPs should no longer be able to employ relatives and those living within a 60-minute train journey of London will no longer be able to claim money for a second home. |
| It has now emerged that several other allowances will be reduced - including the resettlement grant to MPs who stand down or lose their seats at a general election. | |
| Criticised by some as a "golden goodbye", it is intended to help outgoing MPs adjust to the costs of non-Parliamentary life and can range from between £32,383 and £64,766, depending on age and time served. The first £30,000 is tax free. | |
| The BBC understands Sir Christopher Kelly's report will recommend this be replaced with a small fixed sum, possibly a couple of months' salary. | |
| The £10,400 a year communications allowance - which was the only allowance voted through by MPs without a recommendation from the senior salaries review board - is expected to be axed entirely. | |
| The report will also recommend an end to the £25-a-day "subsistence allowance" - which allows MPs to claim for food and other items without a receipt - as well as cutbacks to claims for first class rail travel and travel within London. |