Home Secretary Jacqui Smith claimed £22,948 in 2007/08 in taxpayer-funded allowances for her second home, official figures showed today.
Ms Smith, whose claims are already under investigation by a sleaze watchdog, was battling fresh embarrassment today after it emerged that public money paid for two adult films watched by her husband.
Figures released by the House of Commons showed she was paid the sum in additional costs allowance (ACA), which is designed to cover the cost of working in both London and a constituency.
Ms Smith is being investigated because of complaints about her decision to designate her sister's house in south London, where she stays, as her “main” home, allowing her to claim back the costs of running her family house in her Redditch constituency.
Her overall expenses claim, including travel, office and staffing costs, was £157,631.
That sum included 25 journeys for her husband, Richard Timney, who is employed as her Parliamentary assistant, at a cost to the public purse of £2,531.
The figures released by the House of Commons authorities showed that Prime Minister Gordon Brown claimed £124,454 in expenses and allowances in 2007/08, while Conservative leader David Cameron claimed £148,829.
The details are published annually and were initially due for release last October but were delayed amid a legal row over whether full receipts and invoices should be disclosed.
MPs are permitted to claim a range of expenses, including a maximum of £23,083 for the additional costs allowance (ACA), which covers the cost of staying away from their main residence to carry out their parliamentary duties.
ACA is used to cover the cost of running and furnishing a property, as well as rent or mortgage interest payments. Most MPs use it to pay for a base in central London to use while they are working in Westminster, though some - like Ms Smith - treat their London address as their main home and claim allowances on their constituency property.
Employment minister Tony McNulty, who has been at the centre of a row over his ACA claim for the outer London house where his parents live, claimed £12,600 in second home allowances in 2007/08. He said he stopped making claims in relation to the Harrow house in January because falling mortgage interest rates made it affordable on his MP's salary.
Ms Smith has apologised for the claim which she made for the cost of watching TV - including the pay-per-view adult films - at her family home in Redditch, Worcestershire, and has paid the money back.
It is understood that the movies were watched by Mr Timney while she was away from home. He made a brief apology yesterday for the embarrassment he caused his wife.
Ms Smith was given strong support today by the Prime Minister, who said: "The Home Secretary is doing a great job and I do not think this issue should be allowed to detract from everything she is doing to ensure we protect the public and keep our neighbourhoods safe.
"She has done the right thing by taking steps to rectify the mistake that was made as soon as she became aware of it."
Mr Brown continued: "This is very much a personal matter for Jacqui. She has made her apology, her husband has made clear that he has apologised.
"The best thing is that Jacqui Smith gets on with her work, which is what she wants to do."
How much did your MP claim?
Mr Cameron described the latest revelations as "deeply embarrassing" for the Home Secretary, but stopped short of calling for her resignation.
Speaking on GMTV, Mr Cameron called on Mr Brown to speed up a review of MPs' pay and allowances announced last week, accusing him of kicking the issue "into the long grass".
The Tory leader said he believed Ms Smith had "questions to answer" about her second home claims, but did not see this weekend's revelations as the main issue.
The curtains remained drawn today at Ms Smith's constituency home in Redditch, where her husband issued an apology yesterday.
There was no sign of Mr Timney at the property today and the only notable activity was a visit from a glamour model sent by a tabloid newspaper to offer him a selection of pornography.
The woman, armed with a wicker basket laden with more than £100-worth of DVDs and magazines, including the latest editions of Razzle and Fiesta, received no reply after pressing a buzzer at the gates of the house.
Wearing a white sleeveless crop-top adorned with the logo of the Sunday Sport, the model then exercised her chihuahua-terrier cross, which was wearing a miniature hoody, on a grassed area opposite Ms Smith's home.
An unidentified woman also visited the house this afternoon, but left without comment around 30 minutes later.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said he did not believe the revelation about the films should add to existing pressure on Ms Smith to step down as Home Secretary.
"I don't think it is a resigning matter - at least not the latest revelations. The issue of where she claims for her second home are being investigated separately," he told Sky News.
Mr Clegg predicted no party would escape such controversies and called for urgent talks with fellow party leaders to come up with immediate reforms.
"It really is the tip of an iceberg where the whole system doesn't work, because she won't be alone and it will affect every political party," he said.
Mr Clegg, who is MP for Sheffield Hallam, claimed a total of £149,026 - of which £23,083 was for the cost of his second home, the maximum allowed.
Labour MP Harry Cohen, who is among several outer London MPs who have courted controversy by claiming for a second home, also claimed back the maximum £23,083 in ACA.
The MP for Leyton and Wanstead in east London defended his use of public subsidy at the weekend, insisting it was “part of my salary”.
Left-winger Mr Cohen said MPs were told “Go out boys and spend it” when the present system was introduced under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s.
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So many comments we could make about Mr Timney's predicament, yet I fear none would get past the censors!
Eric Pickles provided great entertainment on Question Time last week justifying the outer London MP allowance, explaining how if you're an MP you have to be at meetings on time and can't risk travelling 37 miles in case you are late - because all us mere mortals can afford to be late travelling to work can't we (if you disregard the pay deductions and disciplinaries!)
Well, I have to say if I got caught trying to claim the cost of a couple of "Jazz Mags" on my company expenses, I wouldn't expect my boss to be best pleased. Given that she was taking this money off the tax payer makes this a scandal of enormous proportions. She can either stand down now or suffer the enormous humiliation associated with this. To try and claim this as an innocent mistake is pathetic.
People say a mistake was made in trying to claim taxpayers money for two porn films, but why should they receive anything for bought in TV whether it be adult or family viewing? It's about time we built houses or flats for all MP's to live in whilst they are at parliament, furnish them sparsely as they are only there three days a week (if that) and for only five months a year. Expenses should be a necessity and not a perk
Whilst I appreciate the furore over the claim for the films, should we not be more concerned with the fact that this claim was passed and actually paid for ? As well as Ms Smith's head, someone else needs a damn good rollicking.
If my Great mate Gordon took me on he could claim another £80000 in expenses, I dont come cheap.
Most of It is just the usual muck raking campaign that doesn't really hold any substance.
Just wondering if MP's get their internet connection in both homes paid for ?.Think I should become an MP, they earn more in expenses than I do in Salary.
Went into currys to a dictaphone and all I got was Gordom Browns telephone number.
Gordon 'she's doing a good job' NO she isnt, she's a complete waste of tax payers money ( even without us paying for her hubbies porno's ).
This whole situation is completely moraly wrong and clearly shows how Jacqui Smith is only looking out for herself and not doing the job she is getting paid over £100,000 a year for.
I have just seen the news that she claim around £145,000 last yr in expense, how on earth is that allowed.
Make an example of her now Mr Brown before the next and even more embarassing revelation comes out and your made to look a fool.
Smashing isn't it. We've had the glory days - Bliar dispensing messianic speeches, Gordon preaching prudence. But, as usual, after a few years of Labour rule, we are back to normal - a failing economy, MP sleaze, no hope. Bring on the election. The Noo Labour experiemnt was amusing but let's back to the grown ups running the country!
Utter madness! How does anyone manage to spend so much in one year and then have the cheek to claim it all back! Well I suppose it's only tax payers money isn't it Jackie...
Sack her!
Vote labour out!
MPs' do not actually handle the major part of the amounts shown as Expenses.
The largest portion is to pay the Staff employed at Westminster and in their Constituencies and these Staff are paid directly by the House of Commons.
It would be more informative the payments to MPs' were shown:-
a]Salary.
b] Personal Expenses including travel.
c] Staff and Office Expenses.
d] Second home costs [including Hotels}.
I think this would help to clarify the position dispel the popular myth that an MP actually receives the total amount incurred.