Tory MP Scott Benton filmed offering to lobby ministers

Conservative MP Scott Benton talked about the lobbying services he could potentially provide to a fake company, footage from an undercover investigation appears to show.

The Times says Mr Benton was offered a paid advisory role by reporters posing as investors in a sting.

He was secretly filmed saying he could table parliamentary questions and leak a confidential policy paper.

He did not pursue the role and no rules appear to have been broken.

The BBC has only seen an edited excerpt of the footage published by the Times newspaper.

In a statement shared with the BBC, Mr Benton said: "Last month I was approached by a purported company offering me an expert advisory role.

"I met with two individuals claiming to represent the company to find out what this role entailed.

"After this meeting, I was asked to forward my CV and some other personal details. I did not do so as I was concerned that what was being asked of me was not within Parliamentary rules.

"I contacted the Commons Registrar and the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner who clarified these rules for me and had no further contact with the company. I did this before being made aware that the company did not exist and the individuals claiming to represent it were journalists."

The UK Parliament's code of conduct prohibits MPs from lobbying in return for payment.

The code of conduct says MPs may not speak in the House of Commons and make approaches to ministers in return for payment.

The Times investigation comes after a similar sting operation set up by Led By Donkeys, a political campaign group.

Senior MPs, including former cabinet ministers Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng, were filmed agreeing to work for a fake company for thousands of pounds a day.

There has been a wider discussion about MPs having second jobs in recent years, and calls for reform of the rules after high profile cases involving parliamentarians conducting private business outside of their Commons duties.