TREASURY minister Ruth Kelly has had to repay money to the house of Commons after misusing her official parliamentary mail.

The MPs office sent 1,363 letters to constituents asking their views on a controversial plan for a coal yard in Chequerbent, Westhoughton.

But they were printed on House of Commons stationery and posted first class.

Now the Bolton West MP, who recently called for a review of finance controls at the Royal Mint, has repaid Parliament £275 for the paper and the postage costs.

Ms Kelly said: "A number of letters were sent in error using House of Commons stationery on the important subject of the proposed coal yard at Chequerbent.

"After they were sent, and without any prompting, I contacted the Sergeant at Arms' office.

"I informed staff of the situation and requested an invoice for those letters that were sent. I have already sent the required amount to the House authorities."

Ms Kelly, who was appointed Financial Secretary to the Treasury in May. She previously worked at the Bank of England and was a member of the Treasury Select Committee between 1997 and 1998.

In her letter to constituents Ms Kelly asked their views on haulage firm EH Bennett's plan to

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Ruth pays up

open a coal yard off Manchester Road in June. The firm has already been given a certificate saying it can use the site. But it is now trying to get authorisation under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 from Bolton Council.

However hundreds of residents are campaigning against it. They say the yard could cause massive traffic and pollution problems.

More than 650 people have already signed a petition. They sent 536 objection letters back to the MP, who has now passed them to the council.

Today Ms Kelly said: "I was keeping my constituents informed on this important local issue."

Members of Westhoughton Town Council complained to the Sergeant at Arms, Parliament's official housekeeper, about Ms Kelly's letters.

One of his assistants wrote back saying she had already "spotted the error" and was due to reimburse the House.

Town Council Leader David Wilkinson said: "Ms Kelly is well aware that House of Commons stationery should not be used as part of mailing shots or political campaigns.

"I applaud the fact that she is campaigning on this important issue, but when other people are campaigning they pay for any letters out of their own pocket."

Assistant Sergeant at Arms Mark Harvey said: "Mistakes do happen. Ms Kelly spotted the error and then refunded the taxpayer. It's no big deal. We're only talking about the contents of the stationery cupboard here."

MPs are allowed to use House of Commons stationery, but not for political issues.