Report into MP expenses speeded up

12 April 2012

A Westminster sleaze watchdog will report on MPs pay and perks by the end of the year, following calls from party leaders for its investigation to be speeded up.

The Committee on Standards in Public Life, which had originally said its recommendations would come after the next general election, bowed to pressure fuelled by recent controversies.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown had appealed to committee chairman Sir Christopher Kelly to bring forward the inquiry and suggested some far-reaching reforms of the system.

Speaking on GMTV, Mr Brown said rules on MPs' expenses needed to be "cleaned up" as he repeated a call for Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to be allowed to get on with her job.

He said the system for MPs' expenses need to be "sorted out once and for all" and confirmed he had asked the Committee on Standards in Public Life to speed up its inquiry into Westminster remuneration.

"I have asked them to move quickly, some of this is personal, obviously, and I feel Jacqui has just got to get on with the job, but the rules have got to be cleaned up for the future."

Speaking on GMTV, he added: "I asked for this review and now I have asked for this review to be speeded up so I hope we can get answers soon."

The Prime Minister's remarks came after it was revealed that Commons officials have begun a hunt for a mole who has put explosive details of MPs' expenses on the market for £300,000.

The search was launched after a series of damaging leaks left politicians struggling to contain public fury over generous parliamentary perks. Anger was stoked further when it was disclosed that MPs will get a 2.33% pay rise next year - as millions of private sector workers face freezes or even cuts.

Mr Brown was forced to defend Ms Smith after it emerged she had "mistakenly" claimed for two adult movies watched by her husband.

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