Minister defends parent home claim

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

A spokesman for employment minister Tony McNulty insisted the claims on the property in Harrow, north London, were entirely within parliamentary rules.

Mr McNulty later said: "I use it considerably. I work there at weekends when I am in the constituency.

"I have said clearly that I was probably spending one or two nights a weekend there early on when I was an MP. It probably is less now.

He moved out in 2002 and began to claim for it, receiving about £60,000 while his parents went on living there.

Mr McNulty's move was prior to his marriage to second wife Christine. he moved in to her home in Hammersmith, west London, but then began claiming the second home allowance on the Harrow property, reported the Mail on Sunday.

In January this year he took the decision to stop claiming the allowance, as interest rates had fallen so far that he found he was able to meet his mortgage commitments from his MP's salary, said his spokesman.

The Additional Costs Allowance, worth up to £24,000 a year, is paid to MPs from outside inner London to cover the cost of staying overnight away from their main home for the purpose of performing parliamentary duties.

Most MPs use the money to pay for a base in central London near to Westminster, though some, including Mr McNulty, opt - entirely within the rules - to claim for the cost of running a constituency home.