Smith told to apologise as expenses row simmers

By Stefano Ambrogi

LONDON (Reuters) - Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has been ordered to apologise to the House of Commons after a parliamentary sleaze watchdog found she "clearly breached" rules on second-home expenses.

Smith, whose resignation in June made her the highest profile casualty of the expenses scandal, designated the house she shared with her sister in London as her main home and then claimed second-home allowances on her Redditch family home.

The House of Commons Standard and Privileges Committee published the results of a six-month investigation undertaken by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, John Lyon, on Monday which strongly criticised Smith.

While acknowledging "mitigating circumstances" it said: "Ms Smith clearly breached the rules of the House by wrongly designating her main home from 2004 to 2009.

"We recommend that Ms Smith apologise to the House by means of a personal statement."

It also said that Smith had accepted she also breached the rules by failing to notify Commons authorities for one year that she had changed the address of her designated main home.

However, it said she "gained nothing from this lapse, and the public interest was not harmed. We therefore recommend no further action."

In a written response to the inquiry, Smith said she was disappointed at the outcome, but apologised to the inquiry. She has not been asked to repay any money.