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Tory MPs to pay back £250,000 Tory MPs pay back £125,000 more
(30 minutes later)
Conservative MPs are to pay back another £125,000 in expenses as a result of the party's scrutiny review of claims, David Cameron has confirmed.Conservative MPs are to pay back another £125,000 in expenses as a result of the party's scrutiny review of claims, David Cameron has confirmed.
Among newly disclosed repayments are £25,000 by Eleanor Laing and £10,000 by Sir Peter Viggers, who was criticised for trying to claim for a duck house.
It doubles to £250,000 the amount being paid back by Conservative MPs in total.It doubles to £250,000 the amount being paid back by Conservative MPs in total.
By doing so, Mr Cameron said MPs would go some way to "atone for the mistakes of the past". By repaying the money, Mr Cameron said MPs would go some way to "atone for the mistakes of the past".
Mr Cameron set up the scrutiny panel after the Daily Telegraph highlighted a number of claims which led to Tory MPs saying they would pay back £125,000.Mr Cameron set up the scrutiny panel after the Daily Telegraph highlighted a number of claims which led to Tory MPs saying they would pay back £125,000.
'Damaging issue''Damaging issue'
Mr Cameron summoned all his MPs to a meeting in the Commons where he addressed them about its findings.Mr Cameron summoned all his MPs to a meeting in the Commons where he addressed them about its findings.
Later, he said the decision by a host of MPs to pay back more money showed a "collective" understanding of the scale of problem and demonstrated the party's "real desire to take a lead over what is a very damaging issue".Later, he said the decision by a host of MPs to pay back more money showed a "collective" understanding of the scale of problem and demonstrated the party's "real desire to take a lead over what is a very damaging issue".
We need to recognise, and in some way try and atone for, the mistakes of the past David Cameron
"It is about understanding the level of public anger about a system which was broken and the part we played in it," he said during a speech in London."It is about understanding the level of public anger about a system which was broken and the part we played in it," he said during a speech in London.
"It is not good enough just to sort out the rules for the future."It is not good enough just to sort out the rules for the future.
We need to recognise, and in some way try and atone for, the mistakes of the past David Cameron
"We need to recognise, and in some way try and atone for, the mistakes of the past. And these payments are, I believe, an important part of that.""We need to recognise, and in some way try and atone for, the mistakes of the past. And these payments are, I believe, an important part of that."
The details of which MPs are returning more money and the sums involved will be published shortly. The Tory figures reveal 41 MPs have made extra repayments on top of what was already announced.
The BBC News Channnel's chief political correspondent James Landale said he understood that the report would be an interim one covering the claims of the majority, but not all, Tory MPs. Of these, the single highest was £25,000 by shadow justice minister Eleanor Laing although the reason for the repayment was not disclosed.
He said MPs leaving the meeting - in which Mr Cameron stressed the process had been voluntary and not a "witch-hunt" - described it as "harmonious". The Telegraph had alleged that Ms Laing did not pay capital gains tax on the sale of a property.
The parliamentary authorities last week said that during the recent controversy over expenses MPs from all parties had paid back £500,000 of money claimed. Bill Cash has agreed to repay £15,000 in rent and mortgage costs after it emerged he claimed for rent he paid to his daughter to live in her London flat.
Voluntary
Other senior Tories making payments include John Gummer, who is returning £11,500 for gardening and household maintenance, and Sir John Butterfill, who is paying back a total of £14,000.
In addition, nine MPs have agreed not to claim for a second homes allowance in future.
The BBC News Channnel's chief political correspondent James Landale said not all MPs had yet been scrutinised, with the report featuring 186 of the 192 Tory MPs.
While the Tories were stressing the process had been voluntary, he said it was clear that many MPs had faced tough meetings with Mr Cameron over the issue.
Last week the parliamentary authorities last week said the recent controversy over expenses MPs from all parties had paid back £500,000 of money claimed.
Fair systemFair system
The £125,000 to be paid back as a result of the Conservative scrutiny panel's review is believed to be in addition to that. The extra £125,000 to be paid back by the Tories is believed to be in addition to that.
A separate body has been set up by Parliament to go through all MPs' claims over recent years, but Mr Cameron said he wanted the Conservatives to react more quickly to public anger over expenses.A separate body has been set up by Parliament to go through all MPs' claims over recent years, but Mr Cameron said he wanted the Conservatives to react more quickly to public anger over expenses.
Mr Cameron, who has himself agreed to pay back nearly £1,000, has defended the process as transparent and fair in the face of criticism from some sections of the party.Mr Cameron, who has himself agreed to pay back nearly £1,000, has defended the process as transparent and fair in the face of criticism from some sections of the party.
He set up the scrutiny panel, whose members include his chief whip and chief of staff, after the Daily Telegraph published articles in May about claims made by shadow cabinet members and backbenchers.He set up the scrutiny panel, whose members include his chief whip and chief of staff, after the Daily Telegraph published articles in May about claims made by shadow cabinet members and backbenchers.
He insisted all Tory MPs would have to submit their expenses over the past four years for inspection and anyone found to have made unjustified requests would have to repay money or face suspension.He insisted all Tory MPs would have to submit their expenses over the past four years for inspection and anyone found to have made unjustified requests would have to repay money or face suspension.
Frontbenchers who had already agreed to repay money include George Osborne, Michael Gove and Alan Duncan.Frontbenchers who had already agreed to repay money include George Osborne, Michael Gove and Alan Duncan.
SCRUTINY PANEL MEMBERS Tory chief whip: Patrick McLoughlinDeputy chief whip: John RandallNational convention chairman: Jeremy MiddletonLawyer: David GoldLeader's chief of staff: Ed LlewellynParty finance director: Ian McIsaacSCRUTINY PANEL MEMBERS Tory chief whip: Patrick McLoughlinDeputy chief whip: John RandallNational convention chairman: Jeremy MiddletonLawyer: David GoldLeader's chief of staff: Ed LlewellynParty finance director: Ian McIsaac
Mr Cameron, himself, has agreed to refund the taxpayer for the cost of maintenance costs on his constituency home, including removing wisteria. One MP, Brian Binley, has publicly said he will not repay any money if asked to do so.
Several backbenchers whose claims have come under particular scrutiny, such as Bill Cash and Sir John Butterfill, said they would repay money if the panel said they should.
But one MP, Brian Binley, has publicly said he will not repay any money if asked to do so.
He said he had not done anything wrong after reports he claimed for renting a flat owned by his own company.He said he had not done anything wrong after reports he claimed for renting a flat owned by his own company.
Public outcryPublic outcry
A number of Tory MPs have said they will stand down from Parliament since the expenses crisis began, several in direct consequence of public outcry over their behaviour.A number of Tory MPs have said they will stand down from Parliament since the expenses crisis began, several in direct consequence of public outcry over their behaviour.
These include Sir Peter Viggers and Douglas Hogg, who respectively claimed for the cost of buying a duck house and having the moat at his country home cleaned, claims Mr Cameron said were unacceptable. These include Sir Peter Viggers and Andrew MacKay who stood down as an aide to Mr Cameron after it emerged he had named the main home in which he and his wife, fellow Tory MP Julie Kirkbride, lived as his second home and claimed expenses on it.
Andrew MacKay stood down as an aide to Mr Cameron, and later said he would stand down as an MP, after it emerged he had named the main home in which he and his wife, fellow Tory MP Julie Kirkbride, lived as his second home and claimed expenses on it. Mr MacKay has yet to repay any money and his case has been referred to the House of Commons authorities.
Ms Kirkbride later said she would quit Parliament after facing criticism over claims she re-mortgaged her second home in her constituency, in which her brother lived rent free, to build an extra bedroom.Ms Kirkbride later said she would quit Parliament after facing criticism over claims she re-mortgaged her second home in her constituency, in which her brother lived rent free, to build an extra bedroom.
She insisted she had not done anything wrong but was stepping down to protect her family from what she said was "unbearable pressure" over expenses coverage.