Watchdog considers Spelman inquiry

John Lyon is "considering carefully" whether to investigate the Tory chairman's payments to a nanny.

Caroline Spelman has met with Mr Lyon, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, to ask him to look into allegations that she misused her MPs' expenses.

In a statement, his office said it would be "exceptional" for him to investigate a matter from more than seven years ago. The case in question dates from 1997.

"The Parliamentary Commissioner has received representations from Mrs Caroline Spelman MP that he should investigate the circumstances of the employment of her then secretary in 1997," Mr Lyon's office said.

"The Commissioner is considering carefully this matter against the procedures agreed by the Committee on Standards and Privileges for the investigation of complaints against Members.

"This includes the nature of the information he has received, the passage of time since the circumstances in question and acting on a referral from the Member concerned rather than a complainant."

The statement continued: "It would be exceptional for the Commissioner to institute an inquiry into matters which go back more than seven years.

"It would also be exceptional for him to do so on a self-referral.

"In either of these circumstances, the procedure is that the Commissioner consults the Committee on Standards and Privileges before deciding to initiate an inquiry."

Mrs Spelman said she paid Tina Haynes from public funds for a period of months after arriving in the House of Commons in 1997.

The Meridan MP claims Ms Haynes was doing secretarial and administrative work at her home - which she was using as her constituency office - as well as providing childcare services outside school hours.

Ms Haynes says that in 1997/98 she had "two roles, one helping Mrs Spelman with childcare and another providing secretarial help to her as a MP".

However, when initially interviewed for television last week, Ms Haynes reportedly said she did no political work for the MP - who referred the case to Mr Lyon herself - but took "the odd phone call" and posted documents for her.

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