Parliamentary commissioner concludes Patrick Mercer investigation

The parliamentary watchdog has completed a report into the conduct of the MP for Newark, Mr Patrick Mercer and his alleged cash for questions lobbying affair.

The report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Kathryn Hudson, confirmed her office, is now with the Commons Standards Committee.

Based on the results of her investigation and her recommendations, the committee must decide, if there has been wrongdoing, what sanctions should apply.

Mr Mercer, referred himself to the commissioner when an undercover lobbying investigation by the Daily Telegraph and the BBC’s Panorama was about to be made public.

He resigned the Tory whip and is now an independent MP.

Secret filming by the BBC’s Panorama appeared to show Mr Mercer signing a contract with a fake lobbying company set up by the programme.

The programme said Alistair Andrews Communications Ltd paid Mr Mercer £4,000 to ask questions in Parliament.

Mr Mercer appeared to believe the contract would net him £24,000 a year to lobby on behalf of business interests in Fiji.

Fiji has a poor human rights record and is suspended from the Commonwealth, at great expense to its sugar industry.

The MP agreed to be a consultant serving Fijian business interests.

He then asked five questions in the House of Commons regarding Fiji and submitted one Early Day Motion.

Panorama said it paid Mr Mercer £4,000 for working two days a month at a rate of £2,000 per month.

The programme said the money had not been declared to the Parliamentary authorities, despite a requirement to do so.

All MPs are subject to a Code of Conduct. They have to register their financial interests, including paid employment outside Parliament

They are allowed to work as consultants and be paid for advice.

However, MPs are forbidden from acting as a paid advocate, or speaking in the House in return for payment.

The code also covers receiving payment for asking a question in Parliament, tabling a motion, introducing a bill and tabling or moving an amendment to a motion or bill, or urging colleagues or ministers to do so.

A spokesman for the office of Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards said: "The commissioner has completed her investigation.

"The commissioner's memorandum is with the standards committee.

"What happens next is that the standards committee will consider it, reach a conclusion and produce a report of recommendations that will include the commissioner's original memorandum."

No result in the long-running saga, which began in June of last year, is expected for at least a fortnight with the House in Easter recess.

Mr Mercer told the Advertiser: "I await with interest what the committee decides."

The Conservative Party could be further embarrassed in the wake of the Maria Miller row. The culture secretary, who resisted calls to resign but has now done so, was found guilty of wrongly claiming expenses.

In that case, the parliamentary watchdog recommended that Maria Miller pay more than £45,000, but the committee agreed with her suggestion that she repay just £5,800.

It took the committee around five weeks to make its judgment on her.

Mr Mercer has said he will not be standing at the next General Election and has been helping the Tory Party prospective candidate, Mr Robert Jenrick.

Newark is one of the safest Tory seats nationally. Mr Mercer, who won the seat from Labour in 2001, gained a majority of 16,152 in the 2010 General Election, polling 27,590 votes.