Sammy Wilson investigated by standards watchdog

The code of conduct states that when asking parliamentary questions “members must indicate any relevant interest on the question form”.

Wilson later apologised in the House of Commons chamber, saying he had “inadvertently neglected to declare my interest”.

In his report the standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg said he was satisfied that the breach was inadvertent in nature, external.

“Mr Wilson apologised to me for the breach of the code, explained the measures he had put in place to avoid a repeat of this issue, and apologised to the House through a point of order on 2 December 2024,” he added.

MPs from Northern Ireland have been sanctioned in the past for breaking parliamentary lobbying rules after going on paid trips.

In 2018, then DUP North Antrim MP Ian Paisley was suspended from the Commons for 30 days for lobbying on behalf of Sri Lanka after taking an undeclared trip to the country worth up to £100,000.