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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Spelman facing expenses inquiry | Spelman facing expenses inquiry |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Conservative chairman Caroline Spelman is to be investigated by Parliament's standards watchdog over her use of expenses to pay her nanny. | Conservative chairman Caroline Spelman is to be investigated by Parliament's standards watchdog over her use of expenses to pay her nanny. |
| Standards Commissioner, John Lyon, had previously said it would be exceptional to carry out an inquiry into matters dating back more than seven years. | Standards Commissioner, John Lyon, had previously said it would be exceptional to carry out an inquiry into matters dating back more than seven years. |
| Mrs Spelman, MP for Meriden, says her nanny, who she employed in 1997 and 1998, was paid for secretarial work. | Mrs Spelman, MP for Meriden, says her nanny, who she employed in 1997 and 1998, was paid for secretarial work. |
| MPs' allowances are only for activities directly related to their jobs. | MPs' allowances are only for activities directly related to their jobs. |
| Conservative Central Office has said that Tina Haynes - who was Mrs Spelman's nanny from 1997 to 2002 - also worked as her constituency secretary for six hours a day between 1997 and 1998. Later it emerged she had been paid until March 1999. | |
| 'Misinterpretation' fear | 'Misinterpretation' fear |
| Mrs Spelman said Ms Haynes did administrative work at her home, used as her constituency office, as well as providing childcare services outside school hours. | Mrs Spelman said Ms Haynes did administrative work at her home, used as her constituency office, as well as providing childcare services outside school hours. |
| The arrangement ended when the Conservative Party's Chief Whip told Mrs Spelman it could be "open to misinterpretation", and she appointed a separate constituency secretary. The party says it was not thought any rules had been broken. | The arrangement ended when the Conservative Party's Chief Whip told Mrs Spelman it could be "open to misinterpretation", and she appointed a separate constituency secretary. The party says it was not thought any rules had been broken. |
| There's lots of hard working families across the country who would love to get a nanny paid for by the taxpayer, but they're not getting it and neither should Caroline Spelman John MannLabour | There's lots of hard working families across the country who would love to get a nanny paid for by the taxpayer, but they're not getting it and neither should Caroline Spelman John MannLabour |
| Mrs Spelman, who recently took charge of improving the Conservatives' record on expenses, has said that she believed she had acted "entirely within the rules". | Mrs Spelman, who recently took charge of improving the Conservatives' record on expenses, has said that she believed she had acted "entirely within the rules". |
| But she held a meeting with Mr Lyon on 9 June and asked him to investigate in order to clear her name. | But she held a meeting with Mr Lyon on 9 June and asked him to investigate in order to clear her name. |
| On Tuesday Mr Lyon's office said in a statement that he had "considered carefully" her request "despite having received no formal complaint about her conduct and that the events complained of were more than seven years ago". | On Tuesday Mr Lyon's office said in a statement that he had "considered carefully" her request "despite having received no formal complaint about her conduct and that the events complained of were more than seven years ago". |
| 'Rather unusual' | 'Rather unusual' |
| Mr Lyon had recommended that "exceptionally" he should begin an inquiry into whether Mrs Spelman had broken Commons rules "in force at the time" - and the standards and privileges committee had accepted his recommendation. | Mr Lyon had recommended that "exceptionally" he should begin an inquiry into whether Mrs Spelman had broken Commons rules "in force at the time" - and the standards and privileges committee had accepted his recommendation. |
| For part of the period, it is claimed Ms Haynes was working at Mrs Spelman's home in Kent - 140 miles from her West Midlands constituency. | For part of the period, it is claimed Ms Haynes was working at Mrs Spelman's home in Kent - 140 miles from her West Midlands constituency. |
| Mrs Spelman has said she had to use her home as a constituency office because of administrative problems after the sudden death of her predecessor as Meridan MP. | Mrs Spelman has said she had to use her home as a constituency office because of administrative problems after the sudden death of her predecessor as Meridan MP. |
| As somebody who has worked with Caroline for a long time, I've not the slightest doubt that her name will be cleared Eric PicklesConservatives | As somebody who has worked with Caroline for a long time, I've not the slightest doubt that her name will be cleared Eric PicklesConservatives |
| Labour MP John Mann said Mrs Spelman should pay the money back and said it was "rather unusual" to employ a secretary 140 miles from the constituency. | Labour MP John Mann said Mrs Spelman should pay the money back and said it was "rather unusual" to employ a secretary 140 miles from the constituency. |
| "This is taxpayers' money we're talking about, there's lots of hard working families across the country who would love to get a nanny paid for by the taxpayer, but they're not getting it and neither should Caroline Spelman." | "This is taxpayers' money we're talking about, there's lots of hard working families across the country who would love to get a nanny paid for by the taxpayer, but they're not getting it and neither should Caroline Spelman." |
| But for the Conservatives, Eric Pickles said the fact Mrs Spelman had referred the matter to John Lyon's office herself showed her "integrity". | But for the Conservatives, Eric Pickles said the fact Mrs Spelman had referred the matter to John Lyon's office herself showed her "integrity". |
| "She wants an opportunity to clear her name and as somebody who has worked with Caroline for a long time, I've not the slightest doubt that her name will be cleared," he told the BBC. | "She wants an opportunity to clear her name and as somebody who has worked with Caroline for a long time, I've not the slightest doubt that her name will be cleared," he told the BBC. |
| An MPs' committee headed up by Speaker Michael Martin is reviewing the whole expenses system - in the wake of the case of Derek Conway, a Conservative MP who was reprimanded for the amount he had paid his son to work as a Parliamentary researcher. | |
| The story about Mrs Spelman's expenses also followed the resignation of the Conservative MEP leader in Brussels, Giles Chichester over allegations he had broken European Parliamentary rules on expenses. |