New expenses charges 'would not change' decision to clear Malik

Sleazebuster Sir Philip Mawer has said fresh allegations against Shahid Malik would not have altered his decision to clear him of wrongdoing.

Mr Malik, who stood down as justice minister last month, was reappointed this week as communities minister after Sir Philip, the Prime Minister's adviser on the ministerial code, found he had not benefited from below-market rents for his constituency home and office.

However, the Dewsbury MP faces fresh allegations in the Daily Telegraph that he used Commons expenses to rent an office in his constituency home, as well as having another office in the town.

Downing Street said Mr Malik's claims, like the expenses of all MPs, would be examined by a new independent panel.

But Sir Philip issued a statement last night saying that he had taken advice from a firm of independent surveyors to reach his conclusions.

"Their advice is that it is not uncommon for part of a property let on a residential rent to be used as an office, and that such use would have no material effect on the rental," he said.

"I therefore stand by my conclusion that there was no preferential rent and therefore no breach of the ministerial code."

Mr Malik could still face an inquiry by the parliamentary commissioner for standards, John Lyon, into his use of his expenses to reportedly rent the office in his home.

The MP said that he has "acted at all times within parliamentary rules".

Sir Philip's report also revealed that Mr Malik paid nearly half his rent in cash after moving to a new house last year.

The MP has argued that his first assumption was that he was being asked to pay £300 in cash, on top of the £320 by direct debit, to a fellow Muslim because it was a "matter of religious observance or a cultural norm".

Sir Philip said it was "unfortunate" that Mr Malik had not obtained a written rental agreement specifying the rent to be paid for the house in his Dewsbury constituency.

Gordon Brown has said that Mr Malik could still be disciplined if any improprieties are found in his expenses.

If Mr Malik was forced to stand down as a minister for a second time so swiftly, it would be a major embarrassment for the Prime Minister.

But Mr Brown said it was important that the new independent panel on expenses should give MPs a "clean bill of health" if they deserve it.

Some Labour and Tory backbenchers are angry at the way that their parties have been dishing out punishments for use of Commons allowances.