The Committee was entitled to reach the conclusions it did and I have accepted their criticisms fully, apologised for my administrative short-comings and shall make a full personal apology to the House at the appropriate time.

The Commissioner in his report accepted that there was a need for the tasks I had set my son, that he was qualified to undertake them and that he did indeed do so.

The Committee has questioned the extent of that work and I accept they are entitled to have reached that conclusion.

The pay-scales available to MPs for their staff are published and on the basis of those figures I paid my son 6% above the mid-point of the lowest scale and, as the Commissioner notes in his report, well below the upper level.

However I accept that what is retrospectively considered an "appropriate sum" was a matter for the Committee and I shall comply fully with their requirements.