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31/03/2009
MPs' Expenses Investigation To Be Brought Forward
An investigation into MPs expenses is to be speeded up, it has been announced.
Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Sir Christopher Kelly, said the review would begin "by the end of the year".
Previously his report was not due to be completed until the run-up to the next general election, in June 2010, however Kelly said it was "now obvious that this piece of work needs to start as soon as possible".
This comes as it is claimed details of all MPs' expenses receipts are being offered for sale for up to £300,000, and after Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was criticised for "mistakenly" claiming for adult movies watched by her husband.
Ms Smith and Employment Minister Tony McNulty are both under investigation over their use of second-home allowances and it has also emerged more than 150 MPs received the maximum £23,083 paid to cover the cost of staying away from home on Parliamentary business.
In a statement Mr Kelly said: "It is now obvious that this piece of work needs to start as soon as possible. We will defer work on our current inquiry into local and London government to begin work immediately on an independent, wide-ranging review of MPs allowances.
"The situation has changed quite dramatically over the last few months and I am pleased that there is now such widespread political consensus on the need for reform.
"I hope that this will translate into full acceptance of our recommendations by all the main political parties - challenging though they are likely to be."
He added: "The issues involved are complex. We will be meeting with party leaders and intend to publish an 'issues and questions paper' within the next few weeks.
"We will ask for written submissions from all interested parties and hold a number of public hearings. All evidence submitted to the inquiry will be published.
"This is not something which can be done with a quick fix; we want to do a thorough piece of work. Our firm intention is to publish our report towards the end of the year."
Speaking on GMTV today, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the rules on MPs' expenses needed to be "cleaned up".
He said: "We have got to look at what has gone wrong with this expenses system, get it sorted out once and for all."
(JM/BMcC)
Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Sir Christopher Kelly, said the review would begin "by the end of the year".
Previously his report was not due to be completed until the run-up to the next general election, in June 2010, however Kelly said it was "now obvious that this piece of work needs to start as soon as possible".
This comes as it is claimed details of all MPs' expenses receipts are being offered for sale for up to £300,000, and after Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was criticised for "mistakenly" claiming for adult movies watched by her husband.
Ms Smith and Employment Minister Tony McNulty are both under investigation over their use of second-home allowances and it has also emerged more than 150 MPs received the maximum £23,083 paid to cover the cost of staying away from home on Parliamentary business.
In a statement Mr Kelly said: "It is now obvious that this piece of work needs to start as soon as possible. We will defer work on our current inquiry into local and London government to begin work immediately on an independent, wide-ranging review of MPs allowances.
"The situation has changed quite dramatically over the last few months and I am pleased that there is now such widespread political consensus on the need for reform.
"I hope that this will translate into full acceptance of our recommendations by all the main political parties - challenging though they are likely to be."
He added: "The issues involved are complex. We will be meeting with party leaders and intend to publish an 'issues and questions paper' within the next few weeks.
"We will ask for written submissions from all interested parties and hold a number of public hearings. All evidence submitted to the inquiry will be published.
"This is not something which can be done with a quick fix; we want to do a thorough piece of work. Our firm intention is to publish our report towards the end of the year."
Speaking on GMTV today, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the rules on MPs' expenses needed to be "cleaned up".
He said: "We have got to look at what has gone wrong with this expenses system, get it sorted out once and for all."
(JM/BMcC)
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Police Will Not Investigate Newspaper Expenses Leak
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