Jeremy Hunt: Parliamentary authorities launch probe into purchase of luxury flats

Parliamentary authorities have launched an investigation after health secretary Jeremy Hunt failed to declare the purchase of seven luxury flats on the south coast.

The probe comes after Mr Hunt was forced to apologise for “the honest administrative mistake” when it was reported he had failed to disclose the information to both Companies House and the parliament register of MPs’ interests.

But Labour referred the secretary of state for health and social care to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, and on Wednesday Mr Hunt’s name appeared on the website under the list of MPs it is currently investigating for alleged breaches of the code of conduct.

According to The Daily Telegraph, which carried the claims last week, Mr Hunt had failed to notify Companies House of his 50 per cent interest in Mare Pond Properties Limited, something which took him six months to rectify.

He also did not inform the parliamentary register of members’ interests about his share in the business within the 28 day time limit, the newspaper added. Failing to disclose interests to the agency is punishable by fine or up to two years in prison.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards said it was investigating Mr Hunt for alleged breach of paragraph 13 of the code of conduct, which states: “Members shall fulfil conscientiously the requirements of the House in respect of the registration of interests in the register of members’ financial interests.

“They shall always be open and frank in drawing attention to any relevant interest in any proceeding of the House or its committees, and in any communications with ministers, members, public officials or public office holders.”

Responding to the reports last week, a Downing Street spokesman said: “Jeremy has rightly apologised for an administrative oversight, and as the Cabinet Office have made clear there has been no breach of the ministerial code. We consider that matter closed.”

A spokeswoman for Mr Hunt added: “These were honest administrative mistakes which have already been rectified. Jeremy’s accountant made an error in the Companies House filing which was a genuine oversight.

“With respect to ministerial and parliamentary declarations, the Cabinet Office are clear that there has been no breach of the ministerial code. Jeremy declared the interest to them after the company was set up.

“They advised that, as it was a shell company with no assets or value, it should only be registered when it became operational. As such, Jeremy presumed the same rules applied to parliamentary declarations.

“Although there was no personal gain involved, Jeremy accepts these mistakes are his responsibility and has apologised to the parliamentary authorities.”