Lords watchdog to probe expenses (From Watford Observer)

Lords watchdog to probe expenses

3:49pm Tuesday 9th February 2010

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A House of Lords standards watchdog is to look into a complaint over the expenses of former Labour chairman Lord Clarke of Hampstead, it has been announced.

Clerk of the Parliaments Michael Pownall said he had referred Lord Clarke's case to the House of Lords Sub-Committee on Lords' Interests.

Lord Clarke was told on Friday by the Crown Prosecution Service that he will not face criminal charges over allegations relating to his claims for overnight allowances. Three Labour MPs and one Conservative peer are facing prosecution for false accounting.

But the announcement raises the possibility that the Labour peer may face some form of parliamentary discipline, if allegations that he claimed expenses to stay in London while returning to his home in St Albans are upheld.

Mr Pownall also announced that he had rejected complaints about the expenses of nine other peers.

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