MPs stay silent on expenses' letters
Seven MPs from across the West Midlands were today failing to reveal the contents of letters sent out telling them if they have to pay back any expenses.
Seven MPs from across the West Midlands were today failing to reveal the contents of letters sent out telling them if they have to pay back any expenses.
All 646 MPs in the country have been sent letters by retired civil servant Sir Thomas Legg, who was tasked with trawling though all of the their expenses claims.
But he has refused to publish the complete list of his findings, leaving it up to individual MPs to reveal the contents.
This morning, some of the West Midlands MPs remained "unavailable for comment" despite several calls from the Express & Star.
Stone MP Bill Cash, who claimed around £15,000 to pay for the flat he rented from his daughter, is refusing to comment on his letter.
He said: "As everyone will now know, and in line with Sir Thomas Legg's letter to all MPs, there is now a process within which his own procedures are to be followed. I intend to make no comment until the procedures are completed in line with what David Cameron has stated."
But Cannock Chase MP Tony Wright today revealed he had been ordered to pay back an overpayment in rent of just over £200.
Dr Wright said he was surprised not to get "a clean sheet" and would be checking the calculations but would pay the amount if correct.
The audit found Labour's Dr Wright to have been paid an excess of £206.78 for his second home in London's Dolphin Square.
He said: "Although this is a small sum, I had assumed I would have a clean sheet as I have lived in the same rented property since 1992 and am one of the lowest-claiming MPs.
"I now need to check the figures and if it turns out there is this small overpayment due for whatever reason, I will of course pay it."
Walsall South MP Bruce George has also responded to calls by saying he had not been asked to pay back anything, as well as Dudley North MP Ian Austin.
He said: "I'm very pleased with the letter. It confirms what I already knew, which is that my claims have been entirely in order. I have not been asked to pay back a single penny."
Mr Austin said he had been asked to provide a statement on his mortgage interest, but nothing else.
Sir Legg has angered many MPs who say they should not be punished retrospectively for cleaning and gardening costs at their second homes.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has threatened to withdraw the party whip from those who do not pay, while Tory leader David Cameron said any Tory MP who refused to pay back sums would be barred from standing for the party in the next General Election.
