Health Secretary to face standards investigation over luxury flats purchase

Parliament’s Standards Commissioner has opened an inquiry into Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt over his failure to declare an investment in luxury flats for rent.

Mr Hunt has already apologised for failing to declare a business interest with both Companies House and the parliamentary register of MPs’ interests.

But Commissioner Kathryn Stone will now carry out an investigation into whether he breached a provision in the House of Commons code of conduct which requires MPs to “fulfil conscientiously the requirements of the House in respect of the registration of interests”.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Mr Hunt failed to register a 50% interest in seven properties being developed in Southampton within the 28-day time limit.

He said the omissions were the results of “honest administrative mistakes” and that he did not gain financially as a result. But Labour said his actions represented a serious breach and referred him to Ms Stone.

A Downing Street spokesman last week said the Prime Minister regarded the matter as closed.

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