St Albans MP answers back over expenses claims

ST ALBANS MP Anne Main has clarified the situation regarding an inquiry into her use of parliamentary expenses.

An individual constituent complained about the use of her second home allowance on a St Albans flat, which has been submitted to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.

This will be investigated and the MP has provided all the relevant documentation.

But her expenses have already been cleared by the Conservative Party scrutiny committee and the parliamentary fees office, which found them to be within the rules.

Neither referred the matter to the standards board, as reported by parts of the media.

There were however discussions over whether or not a purchase of a bed worth �399 for a second bedroom was within the 'spirit' of the rules, and the decision was deferred by the scrutiny committee as they needed to go to press with the list of 'repayees.'

Mrs Main said: "A complaint has been made by a private individual within my constituency with regard to the same issues over my arrangements that have already been considered acceptable by the scrutiny committee.

"Consequently, I have already provided a response on this particular matter to the standards commissioner and am awaiting his outcome. To be absolutely clear the scrutiny committee has not referred me to the standards commissioner. This can be confirmed by Patrick McLoughlin, Conservative Chief Whip and member of the scrutiny committee."

Mrs Main's expenses were put under the microscope last month when the Daily Telegraph reported that she allowed her daughter to live rent-free in her St Albans flat, for which she claims �1,095.68 a month in mortgage interest payments and a 10 per cent discount on her council tax. But the MP said her daughter did not live there full-time.

Mrs Main's principal home is in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, which is 25 miles away.