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Mr John Lyon CB,CommissionerOffice of the Parliamentary Commissioner for StandardsHouse of CommonsLondon SW1A 0AASent by post and by fax to : 020 7219 0490
June 11, 20
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Dear Mr Lyon,
REQUEST FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE EXPENSE CLAIMS OF SHAHIDMALIK IN RELATION TO HIS CONSTITUENCY HOME
We are writing to formally ask you to investigate the circumstances regardingShahidMalik MP'sparliamentary expenses. Despite being cleared of breaching the MinisterialCode by Sir Philip Mawer, it has subsequently emerged that Mr Malik is unable to provideany receipts or a written rental agreement to support his claims for the rent claimed onhis constituency home.That alone is, in our view, enough to warrant an investigation bythe Parliamentary Standards Commission, however, allegations of further expensescontroversies on the part of Mr Malik have now also come to light.There is as you knowintense public concern about this issue.Mr Malik claimed £200 a month on his office allowances for an item listed only as “office2″. Mr Malik confirmed in a statement last night that the money went to pay the rent foroffice space at a property where he also had “living accommodation”.He said the rentfor “office 2″ was paid to the same landlord who has claimed he rented Mr Malik a housein Dewsbury at less than market rates. This is the house Mr Malik currently designates ashis main home.Mr Malik said; “I worked from the additional office space betweenThursday and Monday and during recess periods and a member of my staff was alsobased there until moving to the new offices in 2007.” Commons documents show that Mr Malik moved from his predecessor's office in April2006 and began claiming Commons office expenses on a new office.Mr Malik hasclaimed £6,000 a year for the rent on the office in this new office since then. The samedocuments show that he continued to claim for “office 2″ after he moved into his newoffice and after the date when he says the last member of his staff moved to the newoffice. The most recent claim for “office 2″ was made in April 2008. In a statement, MrMalik said he paid £46 per week for the rent on the ground floor of the property inquestion. The money was paid to Yes Properties, a company owned by Tahir “Terry” Zaman.That tenancy agreement covered only the ground floor of the property, whichMr Malik said was entirely taken up by a fully equipped office.The upstairs of the saidbuilding is apparently “living accommodation”. While claiming for the full allowance for aLondon home, which we accept was within the rules, the question must be addressed of whether Mr Malik was misusing his office allowances in order to subsidise hisconstituency home, which would explain the below market rate rent for his home.
T : 020 7837 3312 F : 070 9201 2337 E : team@sunlight-cops.org.ukAlbion Buildings, 1 Back Hill, London, EC1R 5EN
A not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, advocating political transparency and openness.
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