Lincolnshire MPs pay back almost £30k

Lincolnshire MPs have repaid almost £30,000 in expenses claims, the long-awaited review in to parliamentary expenses has revealed.

Sleaford and North Hykeham MP Douglas Hogg, who hit the headlines last year over a claim for cleaning his moat, has repaid £20,000 in cleaning and gardening expenses.

He had appealed against the decision, but the review by Sit Thomas Legg revealed that the appeal had been rejected, and Mr Hogg has now repaid the money, used in part to fund a full-time gardener and a housekeeper.

City MP Gillian Merron has also repaid £6,305 in mortgage interest on her second home.

Ms Merron, who has repaid £6,305 for mortgage interest payments on her second home, said her overpayment was due to "administrative errors made in 2007/08 and 2008/09 which I have put right immediately, and made repayment in full".

"There is no suggestion by Sir Thomas of any wrongdoing on my part," she went on.

"I have always welcomed the audit by Sir Thomas Legg as an important step in MPs regaining the public's trust after a damaging period for politics."

Gainsborough MP Edward Leigh was told his appeal against Sir Thomas's findings had been partially successful – leaving him with a reduced bill of more than £3,000 for cleaning and gardening claims.

Mr Leigh said: "I'm naturally pleased to have won my appeal.

"When I increased my mortgage I recognised it would be wrong to increase my mortgage interest claim. Sir Paul Kennedy has recognised that Sir Thomas Legg's ruling was neither fair nor equitable."

"Whilst I am fully aware of the public's strong views on this whole sad affair I trust that they will recognise this decision as natural justice."

Sir Thomas and his team of auditors found that Mr Hogg had claimed for "numerous items that were not allowable" including the services of a full-time gardener and repair work for buildings other than his historic home over a four-year period.

The MP's claims breached Sir Thomas's limit of £2,000 per year for cleaning and £1,000 for gardening.

Mr Hogg had appealed against the finding, arguing that all of the payments had been approved at the time by the Commons Fees Office – a point Sir Thomas accepted.

The MP, who is standing down at this year's election, said he was pleased the report made it clear "there was no impropriety in what I did, and that everything that I claimed and how I claimed it was agreed in advance with the then head of the Fees Office".

"Although I think that it is pretty rough justice that clear written agreements entered into openly and in good faith with the proper authorities can be overturned retrospectively and at the stroke of a pen, I am glad to have had my name cleared and I have repaid the money," he added.

Gainsborough MP Edward Leigh, one of the Commons' senior members, was initially told to repay £6,725 for mortgage interest, cleaning and gardening at his London home.

The figure was reduced to £3,613 on appeal, with Sir Thomas accepting that he had under-claimed in some years, and Mr Leigh has now repaid the money.