A member of the House of Lords, who is a hereditary peer, is facing suspension for wrongly claiming travel expenses. The Earl of Shrewsbury, also known as Charles Henry John Benedict Crofton Chetwynd Chetwynd-Talbot, has been found to have submitted false mileage claims and charged taxpayers for a business meeting he attended using public funds.
The House of Lords Conduct Committee has recommended a two-week suspension for Lord Shrewsbury after investigators discovered discrepancies in his travel claims. It was revealed that he falsely reported driving 120 miles in January 2024 and incorrectly billed £199.52 for train tickets. Lord Shrewsbury utilized a rover train ticket, purchased with his House of Lords credit card, to travel to a meeting unrelated to his official responsibilities.
The investigation was initiated following a report by The Guardian, which highlighted Lord Shrewsbury’s inappropriate travel expense claims. He had jokingly mentioned in an email to colleagues that the government footed the bill for his travel expenses. The peer had also wrongly claimed for multiple journeys between his residence in Derbyshire and Stafford railway station.
In response to the allegations, Lord Shrewsbury promptly admitted his wrongdoing and expressed remorse, offering to reimburse the House for the expenses. Despite his apologies, the committee emphasized the seriousness of breaching financial support regulations, especially concerning public funds and the potential damage to the House’s reputation.
The Commissioner for Standards, Martin Jelley, confirmed that Lord Shrewsbury’s misuse of the rover ticket and lax approach to mileage claims were intentional and unacceptable. Lord Shrewsbury had previously indicated in correspondence that the government covered his travel costs. The peer acknowledged his errors in claiming excessive mileage and clarified the misuse of the rail ticket for personal travel rather than attending the business meeting.
Lord Shrewsbury’s case serves as a cautionary tale regarding the proper handling of public funds and adherence to rules governing financial claims within the House of Lords.
