[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20711702

David Cameron has given his support to Maria Miller after the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards opened an inquiry into her expenses.

The prime minister said his culture secretary had "excellent answers" to questions about her expenses claims.

Labour MP John Mann submitted a complaint about her claims on Tuesday.

It follows reports she had allowed her parents to live in a property on which she claimed £90,718 in second home allowances during the last parliament.

Mrs Miller has said her expenses were "absolutely in order" and "in complete accordance with the rules".

Mr Cameron, speaking as he arrived in Brussels for a European summit, said Mrs Miller was doing "an excellent job".

The Daily Telegraph reported that Mrs Miller had been claiming expenses for her second home in south London, while her parents were living there, with her "main home" located in her Basingstoke constituency.

Her parents, John and June Lewis, have apparently been living at the property since selling their home in Wales in 1996.

Following the report, Mr Mann wrote to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, John Lyon, saying the arrangement was "identical" to that which meant former Labour minister Tony McNulty was required to pay back more than £13,000 in expenses in 2009.

What is it with these Tory ministers and money?

They've got loads but they always want more - remember the previous Culture Secretary, "Head Boy" Hunt :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Hunt_(politician)

In 2009, Hunt was investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards after allowing his political agent to live in his taxpayer funded home in Farnham as a lodger from November 2005 to June 2007. Hunt’s offer to repay half the money (£9,558.50) was accepted. Hunt also had to repay £1,996 for claiming the expenses of his Farnham home whilst claiming the mortgage of his Hammersmith home.

In April 2012, immediately following David Cameron's statement that he would not associate himself with anyone who carried out “aggressive tax avoidance”, the Daily Telegraph disclosed that Hunt had reduced his tax bill by over £100,000 by receiving dividends from Hotcourses in the form of property which was promptly leased back to the company. The dividend in specie was paid just before a 10% rise in dividend tax and Hunt was not required to pay stamp duty on the property.

Of course, the slime-bags almost always wriggle out of trouble with "excellent answers" .....

[Kizzy]

They have excellent accountants, excellent lawyers and excellent spin doctors who deflect the issues.