Kevin Barron set for comeback after officials spare him punishment for breaking Commons rules

Sir Kevin Barron has vowed to resume his role as chairman of the Commons ethics committee after breaking official rules in accepting a payment by a drugs company for hosting events in parliament.

Barron did not make any money from the arrangement and the regulator ruled that the breach of the code of conduct was “minor” and inadvertent”.

The Labour backbencher now plans to return to his job as chair of the committee on standards and the committee of privileges, from which he stood aside in March when questions were first raised about the deal.

Today the official report ruled that he had not acted dishonestly when he agreed to sponsor events in the Commons for the Japanese Pharmaceutical Group in return for payments to a hospice charity in his Rother Valley constituency.

“Mr Barron was in breach of the code of conduct in accepting payment of any kind linked to the use of House facilities. Although he did not receive the payment himself, he was able to direct that it be given to a particular charity which made it a ‘direct or indirect financial or material gain’ to himself,” said the report from the standards committee.

“The Commissioner found that that this was a minor and inadvertent breach of the rules and that the inquiry had raised no doubts over Kevin Barron’s integrity and honesty. The Committee agreed and concluded that no further action is required.”

Today Barron said he acknowledged his “mistake” but said there were “no serious breaches” of the rules.

“Just to make it absolutely clear, this arrangement led to no personal financial gain as payment was made, as a donation, to a local children’s hospice in my constituency,” he wrote in a statement.

“I would like to thank Kathryn Hudson, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, for her very thorough investigation into this matter and the committee on standards for their judgement.

“I will be resuming my duties as chair of the committee on standards and the committee of privileges. It has always been a huge honour to chair these committees and I am delighted to return to this role.”