Robert Jenrick has repaid mileage expenses charged to the taxpayer after a five-month investigation.
The housing secretary, who is MP for Newark, claimed for both petrol costs and rail tickets for a return journey from London to his Nottinghamshire constituency, The Mirror reports.
The mileage was only repaid after one of his constituents brought it to the attention of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.
In a letter to the constituent, IPSA said it concluded the duplicate claim was a “genuine mistake” and asked Mr Jenrick to refund the taxpayer.
The watchdog took five months to investigate what had happened and the complaint even ended up on the desk of the body’s chief executive.
IPSA said after “numerous” emails to Mr Jenrick’s office there was still an “element of doubt” so it then launched another probe into his travel expenses.
No other ambiguities were found.
The constituent was told of the watchdog’s decision last week and now plans to make an official complaint to IPSA about what he claims is the Cabinet minister’s “lack of transparency”.
Mr Jenrick was in Newark on September 6, 2019 to announce the Government’s £3.6billion towns fund.
He claimed £61.20 mileage for each of two car journeys of 136 miles, and a £159 return rail fare for the visit.
His spokesman said: “As IPSA said, it was a genuine administrative error from his office and, when brought to his attention, it was repaid.”
