ALL three Barnet MPs are walking with their heads held high after their expense claims were given the green light by an independent inquiry.

Theresa Villiers, Tory MP for Chipping Barnet, Andrew Dismore, Labour MP for Hendon, and Rudi Vis, Labour MP for Finchley and Golders Green, have been told they will not have to pay any money back to taxpayers following a review by Sir Thomas Legg.

All of their Additional Cost Allowances from 2004 to 2009 were rigorously examined by the former civil servant, who was given the job of identifying claims that should not have been made.

However, Mr Vis was asked to provide proof he took out a mortgage on his East Finchley home in 2006 - something he said he would do as soon as the Fees Office opened this morning so he could access the papers.

Mr Vis said he sympathised with some MPs, who have been asked to pay back money for claims originally approved under the old system, but believed many deserved to pay up.

"I disagree with some things, such as charging for food, which everyone has to eat anyway," he said. "I disagree with gardening expenses and moat clearance and, of course, all the fraudulent claims.

"But there are a number of people who are not standing in 2010 who will resist paying unless they feel they really ought to, and there are a number of people who will not be prepared to pay because Sir Thomas has set rules that weren't there when they made the claims.

"It is very sloppy to set rules retrospectively and expect people to abide by them. I think it will be a big problem.

"It will seem very unfair for some MPs."

Ms Villiers yesterday voiced support for the "clean-up" of the expenses system to restore faith in politicians among the electorate.

She said: "Important steps have been taken towards reforming the system of MPs' expenses," she said.

"I am now, for example, publishing expense claims online as they are made, along with all my Conservative colleagues on the opposition front bench.

"However, much more work needs to be done to restore trust in politics. The public are right to demand major clean-up."

Mr Dismore said he was relieved by the news, despite having "no doubt" that he would be in the clear.

The Labour MP refused to say whether he felt Sir Thomas' methods were fair or not 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."