Sir Thomas Legg’s audit of MPs expenses resulted in Pembrokeshire’s MPs paying back more than £2,000.

Following last year’s expenses scandal, exposed by the Daily Telegraph, Sir Thomas compiled a report of expenses, examining claims dating back to 2004.

He ruled that Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb had been overpaid a total of £1,495 for rental payments for July 2005 to July 2006, as well as £144.30 for mortgage interest in 2007 to 2008.

A total of £1,639.30 has been repaid, as well as more than £9,000 in stamp duty claims that Mr Crabb agreed to pay back when the scandal broke.

South Pembrokeshire MP Nick Ainger was also required to pay back overpayments. Between April 2004 and December 2005, Sir Thomas ruled that mortgage payments on Mr Ainger’s second home include both interest and capital element, but only the interest element is allowable.

Mr Ainger has repaid the £777.77 highlighted in the report.

Stephen Crabb said that he repaid the overpayment in rent and mortgage interest as soon as it was brought to his attention. It had been previously missed by the Fees Office.

He added that the mortgage interest overpayment related to a three-month period when his bank was unable to provide a break down, so an estimate was required by the office.

He said that the large amount he paid back was not highlighted by Sir Thomas at all.

But Mr Crabb does not believe that Sir Thomas’ report will mark the end of the expenses furore.

“The issue has not gone away all together, but this does represent a major step forward in bringing the matter to a close.

“This whole affair has caused huge damage to Parliament and it will be a long, slow process of rebuilding trust between Parliament and the people it serves,” he said.

Mr Ainger said that his mortgage over payment, from a number of years ago, was only picked up by Sir Thomas, and the discrepancy was settled straight away.

“What this shows is if the Fees Office had been auditing claims thoroughly, we would not have had many of these problems.

“With the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) in place, all claims will be rigourously reviewed. It is clear there have been a whole range of issues that had to be straightened out,” said Mr Ainger.

He added that the new rules and regulations of the IPSA will be brought into force following the election.

Mr Crabb described the three MP and one Lord who have cited parliamentary privilege in the face of possible criminal charges as “obscene.”

He said: “Parliamentary privilege, in these modern times, provides MPs with security to defend their constituencies to their fullest and best abilities. It is not there to put MPs above the law. “ This was echoed by Mr Ainger.

“There is no way, in my view, that parliamentary privilege should be allowed to be used to prevent a criminal prosecution of this type. It is quite clear that it is just to protect us, so we can speak our minds in Parliament without getting sued,” he said.