A CLAIM of £700 for a six-day language course in France has been defended by North Dorset MP Bob Walter.

The claim was among those published by Mr Walter on his website and reported in the Daily Echo on Saturday.

In a subsequent email seen by the paper, Colehill man Peter Hartley questioned the MP on the legitimacy of his claim for the language course.

“While I applaud your efforts in learning a foreign language, I can’t see how this can be a ‘necessary expense’ which the tax payer should pay for. It would seem to me to be more like a holiday,” wrote Mr Hartley.

“If I used my company credit card to pay for a holiday, my company would start disciplinary proceedings against me. They would deem it fraud, and quite rightly so,” he added.

But Mr Walter defended the claim, arguing that a week of intensive “one-on-one” language tuition was far from being a holiday.

“As I represent the United Kingdom at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Security and Defence Assembly, appointments made by the Prime Minister on the recommendation of the Conservative Chief Whip, a good working knowledge of French is an asset.

“The official languages of both organisations are English and French and I can assure you that British members who are able to converse in both languages are at a considerable advantage,” Mr Walter replied.

Mr Walter also claimed for two televisions, rugs, plants, and nearly £17,000 in removal fees and costs.