MALDON MP John Whittingdale has apologised after a standards probe found he should have declared a £1,500 trip to an awards ceremony.

The investigation into Mr Whittingdale was launched after concerns that he failed to record hospitality costs when he attended the 2013 MTV awards with his then-girlfriend.

Mr Whittingdale believed the visit was worth £534.82 and was under the ten per cent MPs’ salary threshold.

But Viacom, which invited Mr Whittingdale, said the total value of the hospitality extended to Mr Whittingdale and his guest was £1,529.07.

An investigation by Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Kathryn Hudson found the failure to register the hospitality he received was a “clear breach” of the Commons rules.

In her report Mrs Hudson said: “You have told me that you misinterpreted the information originally provided by Viacom.

“While I accept that you were mistaken, the difference between the figure originally quoted and the figure now provided is significant.”

In a letter to the commissioner Mr Whittingdale said: “As I have already stated, I am sorry that I misinterpreted the original advice I was given as to the cost of my attendance at the MTV Europe Awards with a guest.

“I remain surprised that the figure that has now been given for the cost is so much greater than that originally supplied but fully accept that it should therefore have been entered in the register at the time.”

Concerns were raised over his failure to register the hospitality after it was revealed Mr Whittingdale had attended the event with a sex worker he had started a relationship with after meeting her online.

The former Culture Secretary ended his relationship with the woman in February 2014 after discovering the nature of her profession.