SOUTHAMPTON MP John Denham has denied claims he wrongly claimed accountancy bills on his expenses.

Mr Denham, MP for Southampton Itchen, was named among 40 Government ministers who allegedly wrote off charges for hiring an accountant on their allowances.

However Mr Denham, the Sectretary of State for universities, skills and innovation, said the claims were “wrong”.

He said: “It was today suggested that I had to not paid tax on the cost of accountants’ advice on my constituency office costs allowances.

“This is wrong.

“I have always declared the cost of accountancy as a benefit of kind and settled my tax bill in the normal way.

“MPs do not need tax advice on their pay which like everyone else operates as PAYE, but the system of office costs is complex and it is normal for MPs to have professional advice as part of the costs of running their constituency office.”

The claims came after it was revealed at least seven ministers, not including Mr Denham, claimed for tax advice from the husband of Labour MP Meg Munn.