Complaints against MP upheld

Mr Griffiths is a Westminster MP

Four complaints against trade and industry minister Nigel Griffiths have been upheld by Elizabeth Filkin.

The Parliamentary commissioner for standards was called in to investigate after Mr Griffiths failed to declare that he owned an office for which he had been claiming expenses.

The report on the Edinburgh South MP, which his opponents have described as "devastating", was released on Ms Filkin's last day in post.

The complaints about the use and funding of Mr Griffiths' constituency office were lodged by the Scottish National Party and the Tories.

Nigel Griffiths is a junior government minister

The complaints followed revelations he claimed office allowances which he used to help his autistic sister.

Mr Griffiths claimed £10,000 a year since 1997 in allowances for an office in Edinburgh which he had bought outright.

The money was paid into a trust fund set up by Mr Griffiths to help his older sister, 50-year-old Hilary.

He also received several thousand pounds from Edinburgh South's Scottish Parliament member Angus MacKay for subletting part of his constituency office.

Mrs Filkin found that Mr Griffiths had misused Commons allowances, and failed to register property and rental income.

She also upheld complaints that Mr Griffiths used his constituency office for party political purposes without informing the Fees Office, and that he failed to reimburse the Fees Office.

Mr Griffiths owns this Edinburgh office

In a separate report the Commons committee on standards and privileges, made up of MPs, agreed that Mr Griffiths used his office for party political purposes without informing the Commons authorities.

However, it said no further action should be taken against him.

The standards and privileges committee also said he made "technically defective" claims for his office costs, but concluded he did not receive public money to which he was not entitled.

Despite the SNP and the Conservatives calling for Mr Griffiths to resign, the committee, which has a Labour majority, has recommended that the MP should face no further action.

Mr Griffiths immediately welcomed the committee's report, saying in a statement: "I am grateful to both Elizabeth Filkin and the committee for the swiftness and thoroughness of their report.

"I am delighted that they recommended that no action be taken."

Elizabeth Filkin reported on her last day in office

Pete Wishart, the SNP's chief whip at Westminster, said: "He has been found guilty by the Independent Standards Commissioner of misusing House of Commons allowances, and diverting public money into New Labour Party politics.

"He should offer his immediate resignation as minister, as this report shows he is unfit to hold ministerial office. If he will not resign then Tony Blair should sack him.

"Nigel Griffiths made no effort to disclose any of his wrongdoing, or rectify any of his abuse of public funds, until forced to do so under media and SNP pressure."

Mr Griffiths apologised for failing to inform the Fees Office and repaid over £31,000.