A member of the House of Lords, who falsely claimed expenses for travel he did not undertake and billed taxpayers for attending a business meeting, is facing a suspension. The House of Lords Conduct Committee has recommended a two-week suspension for the Earl of Shrewsbury for violating regulations. Investigations revealed that in January 2024, he falsely stated he drove 120 miles and incorrectly claimed £199.52 for train fares.
The Earl of Shrewsbury, also known as Charles Henry John Benedict Crofton Chetwynd Chetwynd-Talbot, a former Conservative whip, utilized a House of Lords credit card to purchase a rover train ticket to reach a meeting unrelated to his responsibilities. The 73-year-old, among the limited remaining hereditary peers, erroneously claimed expenses for four trips between his residence in Derbyshire and Stafford railway station, according to the committee.
An inquiry was initiated after a report by The Guardian indicated that the peer humorously mentioned that the “government pays” for his travel in an email to colleagues. He requested reimbursement for a train ticket, allowing him first-class travel, to participate in a meeting of Cheshire Land Limited, a company where he serves as a non-executive director.
The committee’s report stated, “Lord Shrewsbury promptly acknowledged his wrongdoing and offered to refund the House shortly after The Guardian’s allegations surfaced. He expressed his ‘deep and sincere apologies.’ These actions were mitigating factors. Nevertheless, any violation of the financial support rules for members is grave, as it involves public funds and potential negative perceptions of the House and its members due to misuse of financial support systems.”
The Commissioner for Standards, Martin Jelley, determined previously that Lord Shrewsbury deliberately used the rover ticket and displayed a careless attitude towards mileage claims. In correspondence with a colleague, Lord Shrewsbury purportedly remarked, “Traveling up from London. Government pays!”
Regarding his mileage claims, the peer explained, “I mistakenly sought reimbursement for these trips due to an absurd error that was entirely my fault. Since I commute daily, my monthly claims usually amount to 60 miles per day. I rarely stay overnight in London when attending the House […]. I take full responsibility for not verifying the return/claim before submission, resulting in an incorrect figure.”
Regarding the railway claim, he clarified, “I did not utilize the Rover Ticket for the [Cheshire Land] Board Meeting in Liverpool on January 17, 2024. I used it to travel from Euston to Stafford early that morning. I changed trains at Stafford for a local service to Liverpool, then returned to Stafford by a local train, and subsequently employed the Rover Ticket to travel from Stafford to London for a House session. I personally paid for the Stafford to Liverpool and return local train tickets.”
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