Peter Ainsworth warned over radiator cover

Tory MP Peter Ainsworth tried to charge nearly £1,000 for a pewter finish radiator cover on his expenses

Mr Ainsworth submitted a receipt for £957 and tried to secure a £1,461 dining room table on the public purse. His submissions were refused and he was told: “Our concern is that your claim may be considered excessive within the spirit of the proviso 'wholly, necessarily and exclusively on parliamentary duties’ as outlined in the Green Book.”

Mr Ainsworth, who claimed for a second home in London even though his Surrey constituency was 22 miles from Westminster, looked into claiming more than £8,000 for work to his garden in May 2007 but was again turned down by the fees office.

The MP said the claim for the radiator case was submitted in “error”.

He accepted that the claim for the table “did not represent appropriate use of public money” and did not pursue the matter.

Mr Ainsworth said he never claimed for the gardening but made an inquiry into what work might be permissible and then accepted the advice.