Laws suspended for a week over expenses

David Laws is set to be suspended from the Commons for seven days over his expenses claims on a property owned by his partner, dashing the former Liberal Democrat minister's hopes of an early return to the Government.

The punishment will be handed down today by his fellow MPs following an inquiry lasting almost a year by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, who is understood to have identified six breaches of the rules.

Mr Laws argued that he did not declare his relationship with the lobbyist Jamie Lundie in order to keep his homosexuality private. He claimed more than £40,000 over three years under his second-home allowance in contravention of the ban at the time on MPs claiming rent payments on accommodation owed by relatives or partners.

The Standards and Privileges Committee is set to instruct the Yeovil MP to apologise to the Commons and issue the suspension.