No 'detail' on MP family register

The register of employed relatives will be set up on a voluntary basis

MPs have been told they will not have to publish details of what family members employed using public money do to earn their salaries.

The new register of employed relatives will only list their job title.

MP Nick Harvey, a member of the Commons Standards and Privileges Committee, said there was "no intention" of "going into any detail" about their work.

The register of interests is being set up following the uproar over Tory MP Derek Conway's employment of his son.

Suspicions

Freddie Conway was paid more than £40,000 over three years, despite studying full-time at Newcastle University. His father has since lost the Tory whip and will stand down at the next general election.

We are close to a state of constitutional crisis Martin Bell Former Independent MP

The Standards and Privileges Committee has recommended that in future MPs list employees who are relatives and their job descriptions.

The Commons approved the move last week, although a full list will not be complete until 1 August.

Mr Harvey, who is also the Liberal Democrat spokesman on defence, said: "The wording might be slightly misleading, but the committee certainly has no intention whatever that the entry in the register should go into any detail about the contents of the job description itself."

Meanwhile, allies of Commons Speaker Michael Martin have defended him for the spending of £700,000 on his official residence.

Mr Martin, who is overseeing the review of MPs' expenses, has been criticised after it was reported that more than £700,000 had been spent on items including furniture, art and air-conditioning for his apartments.

But Home Secretary Jacqui Smith insisted that the Speaker was doing an "important and good job" and pointed out the expenditure was not all for Mr Martin's personal home.

Speaking on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, she added: "I think it's pretty tough when you have to do ceremonial events as he does, in apartments which are effectively like state apartments, to have big expenditure on those conflated with your own personal expenditure.

"He's working hard, as are the other members of that committee to make sure that we are straightforward, clear and transparent with our expenses."

Tory frontbencher David Ruffley said it was important to distinguish between expenditure on the Palace of Westminster and his personal spending.

He told Sky News: "You do actually have to spend a bit of money on the Palace of Westminster.

"I think most people, when they see the Palace of Westminster, know it's one of the great historic sites."

Second homes

However, former independent MP Martin Bell said Mr Martin, elected Speaker in October 2000, was failing to set a good example.

"We are close to a state of constitutional crisis," he said. "You run out of words in the end to describe his behaviour."

Mr Martin's spokeswoman said the spending was part of a rolling programme of improvements which were commissioned by the Parliamentary Estates Directorate.

She said: "Entertainment of visiting heads of state, parliamentarians and others take place in the state apartments and the costs listed reflect environmental and heritage requirements and health and safety legislation."

The Speaker has already been criticised for claiming more than £75,000 of second homes allowance on his Glasgow property, for which he has no mortgage.