HUNTINGDON MP Jonathan Djanogly has been cleared by the Cabinet Secretary of any impropriety over a potential conflict of interest between his job as a Justice Minister and his family interest in the insurance industry and in claims management companies run by his brother-in-law.

But he will no longer have responsibility for regulation of the claims management industry, which will pass to Justice Secretary Ken Clarke.

The Cabinet Secretary, Sir Gus O’Donnell, had been looking into a complaint from Labour’s justice spokesman Andy Slaughter of an apparent conflict.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said today: “The Cabinet Secretary has concluded that Jonathan Djanogly took the appropriate steps to prevent any conflict between his financial interests and his ministerial duties. There is no evidence that he acted in any way other than in the public interest.

“Mr Djanogly retains ministerial responsibility for civil justice policy. He has requested that the claims management regulation unit be overseen by a different Justice Minister, to avoid any possible distraction from this important issue. The Ministry of Justice has agreed to this change.”

Mr Djanogly said: “I am pleased that this matter has now been concluded. I have at all times maintained that I have made all relevant declarations.

“These baseless allegations were always part of a Labour and trade union-motivated campaign against government proposals, which I am currently seeing through the House, to counter the no win no fee compensation culture in our country.”

He told The Hunts Post that neither he nor his Labour predecessor had ever had to make a decision in relation to the claims management unit, because decisions were delegated to officials, but it seemed prudent to head off any future allegation.