Tory MP Conway loses place on panel

A spokesman for Speaker Michael Martin said the decision to remove Mr Conway from the panel followed behind-the-scenes discussions between the parties through "the usual channels".

"He has been notified by the Speaker that he is no longer a member of the chairmen's panel," the spokesman said.

The decision means he will lose the £13,107 allowance panel members receive on top of their £61,000-a-year MP's salary to reflect their extra workload chairing standing committees.

Mr Conway is serving a 10-day suspension from the Commons after being censured for employing his son Freddie as an £11,000-a-year researcher, at the taxpayer's expense, while he was still a full-time university student.

The Bexley and Sidcup MP, who is now listed as an independent conservative after David Cameron withdrew the Tory whip, stopped receiving his panel member's allowance along with his pay when he was suspended.

The loss of the allowance is a further blow after he was ordered to repay £13,161 of the money paid to his son.

Mr Conway was joint chairman of the Commons committee scrutinising the Health and Social Care Bill.

His case has prompted a full-scale review of MPs' allowances and arrangements for employing their staff.

The Speaker's spokesman denied that the decision to remove him from the chairmen's panel was the result of media pressure. "This matter was under discussion in the usual channels a week ago," he said.