Paisley faces Commons suspension

DUP MP Ian Paisley faces a 30-day suspension from the Commons for failing to declare more than £50,000 worth of free holidays.

Mr Paisley, who is the son of late DUP founder the Reverend Ian Paisley, has apologised for his ‘unintentional failure’ to register two family holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government.

The sanction, to be confirmed by Parliament today, was made by the House of Commons Standards Committee following a probe.

The report, which said the cost of the hospitality may have been ‘significantly more’ than Mr Paisley’s £ 50,000 estimate, said the Sri Lankan holidays in 2013 included business- class air travel, accommodation at first-class hotels, helicopter trips and visits to tourist attractions for the North Antrim MP and his wider family.

The threshold for registering such hospitality in 2013 was around £660.

Mr Paisley is due to address the House today. A statement issued by his lawyer said: ‘My client has apologised unreservedly at the outset for his unintentional failure to register the hospitality he received.’