Miller in '£1m house sale profit'
Culture Secretary Maria Miller made a profit of more than £1 million on a property at the centre of an investigation into her use of taxpayer-funded expenses, it is reported.
The Commons Standards Committee is considering the Cabinet minister's claims under the second home allowance in relation to the property in Wimbledon, south-west London.
The Daily Telegraph reported that the house, which Mrs Miller and her husband bought for £234,000 in 1995, was sold on Valentine's Day this year for £1.47 million.
A source close to the Culture Secretary said: "It is not surprising that London houses go up in value well over a decade after they are first bought . It is also not unusual for people to move house."
Mrs Miller claimed second home allowances of £90,718 - almost the maximum permitted - between 2005 and 2009 towards mortgage payments, bills and other costs relating to the house.
The cross-party Standards Committee has yet to produce its long-awaited report into Mrs Miller's claims.
A statement on the committee's website said no further announcement on the ma tter was expected before Wednesday,April 2 "at the earliest".
The probe into Mrs Miller's expenses was launched in December 2012 by then p arliamentary standards commissioner John Lyon, following a complaint from Labour MP John Mann.
The source said: "Maria has co-operated fully with the inquiry, asked for by the Labour Party, which has now been going on for a year and a half amidst constant unfounded speculation. We hope it will conclude soon."
