MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

British cabinet ministers involved in controversial expenses

Chancellor accused in MPs' expenses scandal

British cabinet ministers including Chancellor Alistair Darling paid accountants thousands of pounds of public money to complete their personal tax returns, it has been reported.

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith were also among the nine who claimed for accountancy bills on their expenses, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Others were Foreign Secretary David Miliband, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell and International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander, the paper said.

Altogether, they apparently spent more than £11,000 on accountants out of the office allowance which is available to MPs on top of their second homes allowance.

Mr Darling's accountancy bills came to £1,400 over two years, while Mr Hoon's claims came to almost £3,000.

Mr Hoon, Ms Blears and Mr Purnell have already faced questions over their failure to pay capital gains tax on properties they have sold. Ministers insisted that the accountancy bills were in relation to their work as MPs and that the claims were allowable under the Commons rules.

The Telegraph also reported that eight ministers had claimed on their office allowances for digital cameras or camcorders while three members of the Cabinet had charged for media training.

Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman, was said to have charged more than £10,000 to the public purse for advice from media consultant Scarlett McGwire.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith allegedly bought husband Richard Timney, who is employed as an assistant, a £240 Apple iPhone. She was previously forced to pay back £10 she had claimed for two adult films he watched.