Duncan Smith confident of result from 'Betsy report'

Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, said last night that he expected to be cleared of impropriety over the use of taxpayers' money to employ his wife, Betsy.

A long-awaited report into the arrangement by Sir Philip Mawer, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, has been passed to a Commons committee and should be published this month. The Standards and Privileges Committee will discuss the report on Tuesday before deciding its verdict in the case, which began last autumn.

Some Tories believe that while Mr Duncan Smith will be cleared of improper use of funds, he will be embarrassed by the findings on the extent of his failure to manage his private office.

Mr Duncan Smith has maintained that he and Betsy will be cleared. He said last night: "At the start of this I expected to be exonerated. Betsy and I still expect to be exonerated."