DAVID Amess is at the centre of a storm about MPs' foreign holidays.

The Southend West MP is among 20 members who are said to have broken Commons rules by failing fully to declare luxury trips paid for by foreign governments.

Tory MP Mr Amess called a debate on the Maldives in 2007, telling the House that his "splendid visit" had given him "an early taste of paradise".

He suggested that the UK Government "could be encouraged to do a little more than is being done at the moment" for the tiny nation.

The BBC claims that despite tabling 15 questions and leading two debates, he did not declare his interest as required.

The BBC claims Mr Amess is among 20 politicians who visited famous holiday destinations and failed to mention the hospitality received when tabling questions and participating in Parliamentary debates.

Under Commons rules, MPs are not allowed to press for UK government assistance to a place from which they have recently received hospitality. They must register the trip and then declare relevant trips when tabling questions, motions or debates.

Mr Amess's office told the BBC that Mr Amess had completed declaration forms in relation to two trips to the Maldives, and left them with a member of staff to deal with it.

The first form was not received by the parliamentary registrar, while the second holiday was registered late.

Mr Amess's office told the BBC: "It is for the member to judge whether a financial interest is sufficiently relevant to a particular debate.

"If you read paragraphs 99 and 100D the advice is contradictory."

In relation to the debates Mr Amess tabled following these trips, his office told the BBC: "In the 2007 debate Mr Amess stated that the visit was through the All-Party Parliamentary Group, thus making it quite clear who sponsored the trip.

"Mr Amess has no personal financial interest in the Maldives.

"The object of the debate was not only to draw the House's attention to moves towards political change in the Maldives, but it was to encourage British business to take advantage of opportunities for reconstruction, reclamation of the land and investment generally."