Disgraced former Shropshire MP Derek Conway has apologised to MPs for misusing thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money to pay his elder son Henry.

Mr Conway also expressed regret for a statement he made to the media following the row in which he suggested other MPs may be guilty of similar misconduct.

The Old Bexley and Sidcup MP was last week ordered to pay back £3,757 that was wrongly paid to Henry to carry out research and administration duties – which included opening post and filing.

The Standards and Privileges Committee – Westminster’s sleaze watchdog – found no “hard evidence” of Henry’s work and also ordered the MP to make a written apology to the House of Commons for his actions.

Addressing the committee’s chairman, Sir George Young, in the Commons last night, Mr Conway said: “Will you accept that I repeat, without qualification, the apology I have already given you in writing and that I accept, without any reservation, the committee’s conclusion that I breached a rule of the House?

“I would also like to withdraw the statement that I made to the media last Thursday,” he added.

Sir George accepted the former Shrewsbury MP’s apology.

It is the second time the MP has been investigated over claims he misused public-funded staff allowances.

A year-ago he was expelled from the Tory Party, suspended from the Commons and forced to repay £13,160 he wrongly paid his younger son Freddie.