Tory peer investigated over expenses
By Liz Stephens
Lord Hanningfield, a Tory frontbencher in the House of Lords, is being investigated by Scotland Yard over his expenses.
Detectives from the Metropolitan police specialist crimes unit are investigating whether he returned to his home in Essex while claiming “overnight allowances” for staying in London, the Telegraph has revealed.
Records show the peer claimed £17,120 in the year ending March 2008 for the cost of staying overnight in London in order to attend the Lords.
His expenses claims totalled £100,000 over seven years.
Lord Hanningfield is also the leader of Essex County Council and has a full-time chauffeur provided by the local authority at taxpayers’ expense.
Rules allow peers whose main home is outside London to claim an allowance of £174 a night if their stay is “for the purpose of attending sittings of the house”. Receipts are not required.
However, the rules also state: “Members who travel home each night or whose main residence is within Greater London cannot claim overnight subsistence.”
Lord Hanningfield angrily denied the accusations against him and blamed a “vindictive campaign against me”.
The peer insisted he could justify all of his expenses claims.
“I work extremely hard on the front bench and am satisfied that I can account for my expenses”, he said.
David Cameron may come under pressure to suspend the peer pending the outcome of the investigation.
Lord Hanningfield is one of three peers and two MPs being investigated by the police in the wake of the parliamentary expenses scandal.
