The House of Lords regulator has investigated a conservative hereditary companion, who admitted he “erroneously” raised travel expenses last year that he had not attempted. He was the fifth companion facing the inquiry after the guardian reported to the House of Lords.
Earl of Shrewsbury is checking for possible violations after the Apocalypse, as he received a milestone for four trips between Derbyshire and Stafford Station, something he could not do when he was in London or Liverpool.
Emails and documents leaks obtained under Freedom of Information legislation also showed that Shrewsbury used his taxpayer-funded top-notch tickets to attend a board meeting of the commercial company he suggested.
The full name of the companion is Charles Henry John Benedict Crofton-Talbot, who wrote in an email to his companion director that the “government” paid for the meeting trip.
Shrewsbury said earlier this month that he offered to pay taxpayers what he claimed “erroneously” and some of the fees for top-notch tickets he had attended board meetings.
Following the series of revelations in The Guardian House of Lords debate, the Standard Commissioner of the House of Lords is investigating allegations against three other peers:
Ian Duncan, a conservative peer, helped secure the meeting with the government ministers of Canadian Nuclear Technology Corporation he suggested.
Richard Dannatt, a former head of the Army, was willing to make sure to meet with the minister's undercover guard journalist, a business client who wanted to lobby the government.
David Evans of Watford, a Labour peer, called himself a watchdog after facing cash access issues after undercover filming with Lord Evans.
Two weeks ago, trade envoy, former Labor Secretary General Iain McNicol, violated the code of conduct by writing to the Treasury Department to promote a cryptocurrency company that is paying.
There was also an outstanding investigation into conservative companion Peter Gummer, Lord Chadlington, who was investigated for the third time by the supervisor.
The Commissioner has not finalized any report on Michelle Mone and her role in signing a contract for PPE MEDPRO, awaiting an ongoing investigation by the National Crime Agency.
Shrewsbury has been the subject of two previous inquiries by Watchdogs, including his “profitable relationship” with a health care company that paid £57,000 to lobbying ministers and officials over two years. He was suspended for nine months For this - the most serious sanctions against peers are violated by paying to the hall. He returned in September 2023 and restored the conservative whip in November 2023.
The commercial meetings and expense claims now reviewed occurred in January 2024, less than six months after the suspension of Shrewsbury.
Shrewsbury had previously said: "Whether I am right or wrong, I ask the finance department to charge the amount they believe is caused from the two matters of the April 2025 attendance allowance."
He added that he believed he "acted sincerely."