Rishi Sunak HAS declared wife’s shares in childcare firm that could get Budget cash boost as probe continues
RISHI Sunak DID declare his wife has shares in a childcare firm set for a Budget cash boost, new documents revealed today.
The long-awaited latest List of Ministerial Interests details Akshatha Murty owns a "capital investment company" and a "number of direct shareholdings".
A footnote then adds: "this includes the minority shareholding that his wife has in relation to the company, Koru Kids".
On Monday the PM was placed under investigation from Parliament's sleaze-buster over a possible breach of the MPs' code.
Mr Sunak's wife is a shareholder in Koru Kids, a childcare agency that could benefit from the government's expansion of free places.
The PM disclosed the information to the Cabinet Office - but Standards Commissioner Daniel Greenberg still opened a probe for potentially failing to declare the interest.
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The new list of interests published today show the PM DID declare the potential conflict of interest.
But the probe is ongoing.
Mr Sunak is dramatically expanding free childcare provision so one and two-year-olds also get 30 hours free each week.
The policy was announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt at last month's Spring Budget.
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The Lib Dems have been calling for an inquiry saying it raises "serious questions".
In an earlier letter to Liaison Committee chair Sir Bernard Jenkin, Mr Sunak said: "I note that there has been some media coverage relating to the minority stake my wife has in relation to the company Koru Kids.
"I would like to clarify for the Parliamentary record that this interest has rightly been declared to the Cabinet Office."
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Sir Keir Starmer was previously investigated over the same breach for failing to declare footie tickets on his register of interests.
The Standards Commissioner can recommend sanctions up to a permanent Commons ban but this is only in extreme cases.