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Former UK health secretary Matt Hancock is under investigation by the parliamentary standards commissioner over claims he sought to manipulate an ethics inquiry.
The investigation, by commissioner Daniel Greenberg, is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding the former cabinet minister since he stepped down in June 2021 for breaching coronavirus lockdown rules by forming a relationship with an aide.
He lost his party’s whip in November last year after taking leave from the Commons to appear on the reality TV show I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.
Greenberg also announced probes into two other MPs on Wednesday: Scott Benton, who was stripped of the Conservative party whip last week, and Crawley MP Henry Smith, who faces an investigation over his use of stationery “provided by the public purse”, according to information posted on the commissioner’s website.
The commissioner, who oversees MPs’ adherence to the House of Commons’ code of conduct, did not make clear which investigation Hancock was suspected of trying to influence. A post on the commissioner’s website said only that it concerned “lobbying the commissioner in a manner calculated or intended to influence his consideration of whether a breach of the code of conduct has occurred”.
An aide to the former health secretary declined to say which case Hancock was suspected of trying to influence and insisted he was “shocked and surprised by the investigation”.
“Far from lobbying the commissioner, Matt wrote to Mr Greenberg in good faith to offer some additional evidence that he thought was not only pertinent but helpful for an inquiry the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is currently conducting,” the aide said.
The issue was “clearly a misunderstanding”, the aide added.
Meanwhile, the commissioner said Benton, who represents Blackpool South, was being investigated over his use of a publicly funded email address. Benton referred himself to the commissioner after reporters filmed him offering to ask parliamentary questions and lobby ministers on behalf of a fictitious company. Benton did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
The commissioner said the investigation into Smith was regarding his use of stationery provided from taxpayer funds. The Crawley MP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
There are currently 15 MPs — eight of them former Conservatives — sitting as independents in the House of Commons after having the whip taken away for suspected or proven breaches of standards.
After his initial investigation, the commissioner can pass serious cases on to the Committee on Standards which consists of MPs and lay members. The committee can hold public hearings and impose sanctions such as suspension from the Commons.
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