Quarter of Westminster’s 650 MPs are now employing relatives costing taxpayer nearly £5million

A quarter of Westminster’s 650 MPs are now employing relatives after a near-10 per cent rise last year, new figures have revealed.

Politicians paying their wives, children and other so-called “connected parties” costs the taxpayer nearly £5million.

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Some 151 MPs employ their family members - up from 139 last year. They can choose to pay relatives a salary of up to £43,000.

It means MPs - already on £74,000 - can top up their household incomes with more taxpayer-funded cash.

Average pay for relatives is £30,000 a year, a Freedom of Information request by The Sun found.

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But a report last year found the average pay for relatives of MPs was more than £5,000 more than other staff.

The latest increase comes in the wake of the scandal that has engulfed French presidential candidate Francois Fillon, who is facing corruption allegations over claims he paid his wife and two children for jobs they never performed. 

Commons authorities are set to introduce tougher rules on MPs employing family members next month to avoid a similar scandal hitting Westminster.

The new rules are set to open up Parliament to the public by forcing MPs to advertise all vacancies, invite unconnected parties for interview and require them to publish their reasons if they decide to employ relatives.

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MPs who employ their spouses include Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, ex-foreign secretary Margaret Beckett and Tory MP Peter Bone.

Chief executive of the Taxpayers’ Alliance John said: “MPs should remain free to employ family members, but only on the condition that they are subject to the highest levels of transparency about who is being paid how much and for what.

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“These salaries need to be available for constituents to scrutinise so that they can hold their MP to account and, if necessary, ask searching questions about the arrangements.

“Openness and transparency are vital if the public are to be confident that the system is not being abused as people would certainly have concerns if family members were getting better pay deals than MPs’ other staff.”