Philip Mawer

MPs found guilty of breaking Commons rules face being fined for their misconduct under proposals put forward by sleaze watchdog Philip Mawer.

In a submission to the Wicks committee on standards in public life, which is reviewing the effectiveness of the current system for enforcing anti-sleaze rules, Mawer backed a sliding scale of fines depending on the severity of the offence.

And the parliamentary commissioner for standards is also calling for an end to the current system which sees a committee of MPs making the final decisions on what punishments to hand out to errant MPs, according to the Sunday Telegraph.

At present, MPs found guilty of breaching Commons rules can be forced to apologise to MPs, suspended from the chamber or be permanently expelled.

If adopted, the new powers would leave MPs facing the first system of personal fines since the 17th century.

Mawer was appointed to the post after his predecessor, Elizabeth Filkin, was forced out of her job amid recriminations over whether she was pursuing MPs too aggressively and reports that a "whispering campaign" had been conducted to undermine her.

After taking up his post earlier this year, Mawer warned he would "consider his position" if he did not get the support he expected from MPs.

And giving evidence to the committee in May, Mawer has already argued for more powers to summon MPs to give evidence and called for access to documents when investigating an MP's financial affairs.

But his proposals are certain to face criticism from traditionalist MPs who are fiercely defensive of their rights to regulate themselves.

However, the move has put an end to fears that Mawer would prove less assertive than his predecessor in tackling misconduct by MPs.

One member of the Wicks committee, professor Alice Brown, said "the issue of fines is definitely something which is on the commissioner's mind".

Another unnamed committee member told the Sunday Telegraph that Mawer "certainly dispelled rumours that he was going to be a parliamentary patsy".

The Wicks committee is due to publish its report in December.