Parliament can’t back up Baron’s mortgage claims (From Echo)

Parliament can’t back up Baron’s mortgage claims

9:30am Thursday 4th March 2010 in News By Jon Austin

No comment – MP Baron

PARLIAMENT has no record of an agreement MP John Baron said he reached with the fees office to remortgage his second home.

Mr Baron was last month ordered to pay back £8,021 interest claimed through expenses for the £34,035 personal loan on his second home, in Bramble Tye, Noak Bridge.

His defence was he had a written agreement from the fees office to break Parliamentary expenses rules by claiming the cash instead of claiming other expenses he says he incurred.

However, an Echo investigation has found the Commons has no record of any agreement.

Billericay MP Mr Baron was ordered to pay back the money in December by Sir Thomas Legg, after his review of all MPs’ claims.

Interest cannot be claimed on remortgages unless it is to carry out renovations or improvements to a property.

Mr Baron appealed to former High Court judge Sir Paul Kennedy.

In his report, rejecting Mr Baron’s appeal on grounds it “plainly broke the rules”, Sir Paul noted he had not seen the written agreement Mr Baron referred to.

The Echo asked the Commons under the Freedom of Information Act if it was “correct that John Baron was given approval to increase his mortgage by the fees office so he could use the money in lieu of other expense claims he did not make.”

It initially refused our request, but following an appeal agreed to answer.

The response stated: “We have now looked at the information which we hold and can inform you that we hold no information relating to any agreement that Mr Baron could increase his mortgage in 2004, so that he could use the money in lieu of other expense claims he did not make.”

It went on to add it did not mean conclusively the agreement was not made, but said: “simply that we have no information about such an agreement.”

The Echo asked Mr Baron if he had proof of the agreement agreement, and if he would make it public. He refused to comment.