Conservative MP Chris Davies interviewed by police over expense fraud claims

A Tory MP and ministerial aide has been questioned by police under caution regarding an allegation of fraudulent expense claims.

Chris Davies spoke voluntarily to the Metropolitan Police Service earlier this week after he was referred by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority – the body overseeing MPs’ expenses – over a claim for pictures and furniture for his constituency office.

The parliamentary private secretary at the Wales Office has previously said that he made an “honest mistake” in the way he submitted the claim in 2016 but insisted he did nothing wrong.

It is understood that the Brecon and Radnorshire MP who entered Parliament in 2015 is accused of manually creating two invoices for £450 and £250 rather than submitting the full £700 claim by computer.

He has previously said that he repaid the £450 sum, which was charged to a start-up fund for new MPs to set up offices.

Mr Davies told the Mail Online website that he was co-operating with the investigation, adding: "I am looking forward to having this resolved."

In his annual report in April, Ipsa compliance officer Andy McDonald said: "In April 2018, IPSA were made aware of an allegation that an MP had submitted a false expense in relation to his Start Up costs budget in 2016.

"IPSA referred this to me, and I subsequently referred it on to the MPS. The police investigation is currently ongoing."

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "The compliance officer for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority made a referral to the MPS on Wednesday 4 April in relation to an allegation of fraudulent expense claims submitted by an individual.

"The special enquiry team launched an investigation in June 2018. A 50-year-old man was voluntarily interviewed under caution on Tuesday 17 July 2018. Inquiries continue."

In a statement, Mr Davies said: “This is an ongoing investigation over a genuine error I made in the IPSA process back in January 2016. It has been fully in the public domain ever since and the error was only brought to my attention in February 2018. I am fully cooperating with the police in order to bring this to a speedy conclusion.”