Over 500 MPs – including Gordon Brown – could face demands to repay some of their expenses claims this week as they return from the summer recess.
When the abuse of MPs expenses allowances was revealed earlier this year former senior civil servant Thomas Legg was asked to investigate the issue, and he has now set retrospective limits for claiming expenses on certain items.
Letters will be sent to MPs this week by Legg asking them either to provide more details on their expenses claims or to pay some money back.
But some MPs have reacted angrily to the retrospective measures, saying they will not repay their expenses. Legg’s new limits include £1,000 a year for gardening, and £2,000 a year for cleaning.
Whitehall sources told the BBC the majority of MPs would have to justify their claims or pay money back.
The prime minister claimed expenses for £6,577 worth of cleaning on his Westminster flat under an arrangement with his brother.
Legg is expected to allow MPs three weeks to respond to questions about their expenses before his full report is made public, which is likely to be in December.
