Cameron condemns Brit ministers

David Cameron has condemned Britishgovernment ministers for using parliamentary allowances to pay accountants to help them fill in their tax returns.
The Conservative leader said the practice "beggars belief" and that if any Tory MPs claimed for accountancy advice, they would be ordered to repay the money.
According to the Daily Telegraph, more than 40 government ministers, including nine members of the cabinet, have charged for accountancy services on their parliamentary allowances.
HM Revenue and Customs said last night that any MP who claimed for accountancy should have to pay tax on the amount of money they charged the parliamentary authorities because accountancy fees in relation to a personal tax return are not tax deductible.
But the Labour party issued a statement on behalf of its ministers saying they had, as far as they were aware, honoured their tax liabilities.
Cameron said the money should never have been claimed from parliamentary expenses in the first place.
"If you have a small business, yes you have an accountant who helps out with the books. But when it comes to your personal tax return that is something everyone else in life has to either fill in themselves or pay an accountant to do it for them," Cameron said.
"It beggars belief. If any Conservative MP has used an accountant to do their personal tax return and has claimed that off the taxpayer I will make them pay that money back. They ought to pay that money back, it is completely wrong."
The Labour statement, which was issued on behalf of ministers including the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, and the foreign secretary, David Miliband, insisted they had met all their tax liabilities.
Other cabinet members behind the statement included the international development secretary, Douglas Alexander, the environment secretary, Hilary Benn, the communities secretary, Hazel Blears, the transport secretary, Geoff Hoon, and the work and pensions secretary, James Purnell.
They said: "To the best of my knowledge I am satisfied that I have honoured all my tax liabilities and will continue to do so.