Dismore expenses given clean bill of health by Legg inquiry (From Times Series)

Dismore expenses given clean bill of health by Legg inquiry

11:45am Tuesday 13th October 2009 in

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LABOUR MP for Hendon, Andrew Dismore, has spoken of his relief after escaping censure by an independent inquiry into parliamentary expenses.

After combing through his expense statements from 2004 to 2009, Sir Thomas Legg announced Mr Dismore would have nothing to repay.

The former civil servant was given the job of identifying the Additional Costs Allowances (ACAs) that should not have been claimed and to recommend repayments.

Up to 500 former and current MPs received letters yesterday detailing what, if any, money they should return to taxpayers following the expenses scandal that broke last year.

In his letter to Mr Dismore, Sir Thomas wrote: "In your case, having examined the records in the light of my interpretation of the rules and standards in force at the time, I have not identified any payments made to you under the ACA during the review period which I consider call for any repayment or further supporting evidence to be provided by you."

Mr Dismore said: "I didn't really have any doubt after having gone through my papers so many times, but it is very nice to have a third-party endorsement.

"When the light is falling on everybody, it does start to make you feel very paranoid.

"It is good to have confirmation that no action is required of me concerning my claims."

The Labour MP refused to say whether he felt Sir Thomas' methods were fair to MPs, many of whom have been asked to pay back money for claims originally approved under the old system.

Mr Dismore said he could not comment because, as a member of the Standards and Privileges Committee, he may be called on to judge cases. But he admitted several MPs might question the recommendations.

"It depends how much they have been asked to pay back," he said. "Many may pay simply to avoid the grief and aggravation of challenging it, but if it's thousands of pounds, they may well choose to question it."

Theresa Villiers, Conservative MP for Chipping Barnet, and Rudi Vis, Labour MP for Finchley and Golders Green, are yet to reveal whether they have been asked to repay any money.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to repay more than £12,000 in expenses after the inquiry found he had made excessive claims for cleaning, gardening and decorating.

Both he and Conservative leader David Cameron have instructed their MPs to accept the Legg recommendations.