DAILY Echo readers will already have learned that North Dorset’s Conservative MP Bob Walter claimed for mortgage interest, two hand-knotted rugs from Mumbai and some Aucuba Japonicas for his garden.

However, the expenses revealed this week show that among other things he has claimed for a £500 bill from Jill McSweeney Consulting Services and one third of the cost of a £934 bill for what is described as a Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show ‘surgery’.

We don’t know what the advice was for because it was blanked out.

In March 2006 taxpayers were asked to fork out £500 so Mr Walter could have a hallway redecorated, including sanding and varnishing a woodblock floor and the cost of cleaning down six doors and repainting.

Where this hallway was we don’t know, as the details of the address were removed.

Constituents struggling to sell their home may be interested to learn that Mr Walter asked for £2,538 to cover estate agents’ fees in April 2004 and claimed £11,850 to cover his stamp duty, with another £1,652.04 to cover the fees of Devon-based solicitors Chanter Ferguson.

There was also a bill for £750 removal expenses on top. Where he moved from and where he went to are, again, undisclosed.

However, he’s not short of a TV to watch. He claimed £399.99 for a 26-inch LCD TV in November 2005, with a further £799.95 for a Sharp TV and bracket in March 2006.

Mr Walter also claimed various amounts for food and travel for an unsalaried person working for him.

There were four claims of £300 for train tickets and numerous claims for food, including 35p for a Snickers bar, a two-for-one coleslaw deal from Morrisons, 48p for spaghetti hoops and someone was very partial to a chocolate sundae – the cost of four was claimed for.

Mr Walter told the Daily Echo that the money for the japonicas was not paid out and that the claim was “part of the maintenance of my property”.

“I have done nothing dishonest,” he said.

“I said through your paper that if any constituent had a problem they could come and see me and only one constituent has taken that up. I have been through the expenses with them and they went away totally satisfied.”

Mr Walter insisted he had “masses” of constituents who had written to him saying he’d been unfairly treated by the press over this issue.

“They are entirely satisfied with the work I do as a Member of Parliament,” he declared.

So does he feel ashamed about any of his claims?

“It’s not a case of being ashamed; these are claims for expenses which were submitted under the rules at the time and I am entirely with the move to get Sir Christopher Kelly to produce something which is transparent, that people have trust in.

“But as far as I am concerned I have done nothing wrong, nothing dishonest.

“As far as I am concerned I am good, hard-working Member of Parliament.”