MPs face ban over jobs for children

The move follows recent uproar over abuses of Parliamentary allowances and the publicly-funded jobs occupied by MPs' relatives.

But they will be allowed to continue employing their spouses and partners under the plans put forward by Leader of the Commons Harriet Harman.

A consultation paper flagged up the Derek Conway scandal and said the employment of sons and daughters by MPs was damaging to the House of Commons.

Mr Conway was stripped of the Tory whip and suspended from the Commons for 10 days after being found earlier this year to have overpaid his son out of his staffing allowance.

The document warned: "Whilst spouses may have the skills, experience or qualifications to make them the most appropriate candidate for work in their partners' parliamentary or constituency office, this is less likely to apply to MPs' children whether under 18 or young adults.

"Furthermore, recent incidents involving the employment by MPs of their children, demonstrate clearly the negative impact this has on public confidence in members. The proposal is therefore that MPs' children should no longer be able to gain paid employment in their parent's constituency or parliamentary offices, or in any other role relating to the parent's work as an MP."

If adopted, the reform would force at least 22 MPs who currently keep their children as researchers, secretaries and assistants to find new staff.

Officials made clear, however, that any ban would not be retrospective, meaning all of those already employed would be allowed to continue.

Some of those have given jobs to more than one of their offspring. In total, MPs employ at least 14 daughters, nine sons, one daughter-in-law and one son-in-law. There may be more, however, as there has not yet been a publication of the Register of Members' Interests since the declaration of staff-relatives became compulsory on August 1.