SO after an exhaustive enquiry the Parliamentary Committee on Standards and Privileges (PCSP) has decided that Bill Wiggin did have the wrong address on his claim form but as it was supported by evidence for the right address this was purely an administration error and there was no loss to the public purse.

As Bill Wiggin admitted this from the start it is hardly news. The PCSP also states that the parliamentary authorities were at fault for not picking this error up but I note that they are not being asked to apologise.

The PCSP also found that Bill Wiggin did not have proof of his expenses claims for expenses submitted five years ago at a time when no proof was required. I am sure he is not the only person in the country who does not keep five-year-old receipts when he has no need to do so.

However, to ensure that it errs on the side of caution it has assumed that he overclaimed, and has asked him to repay (which he did immediately), but accepts he would have had some expenses so the overpayment is an arbitrary 50 per cent.

Fortunately, while the record of his expenses may be lost, the record of his performance as our MP is still available and hopefully the real constituents, rather than those just out to make political ‘hay’, will recognise the work Bill Wiggin does on our behalf, as they did in May when he was returned not only with a 10,000 majority but with more than 50 per cent of the votes.

JONATHAN JACKSON,

Lugwardine, Hereford.