The Conservatives today stopped short of calling for Jacqui Smith's resignation after she claimed the cost of downloading two pornographic movies in MPs' expenses, but said that a review of expenses should be speeded up.

David Cameron described the latest revelations about the Home Secretary as “deeply embarrassing” for her and said that he believed she had "questions to answer", but he did not call on her to quit.

Ms Smith is already facing a standards inquiry after reportedly claiming at least £116,000 in second home allowances on her Redditch family home while listing a London flat she shares with her sister as her main home.

“I do not think this individual thing (the pornographic films) is the issue," said Mr Cameron, the Conservative leader, speaking on GMTV.

“I think she has got some questions to answer about the second home issue. It does seem to me pretty incredible to claim that the home where her family is, that is not her main home.

“I think this goes to a deeper problem which is the second home allowance for MPs. The Prime Minister has ordered a review but he has sort of kicked it into the long grass.

“The review doesn’t start until September, it is not going to report until after the next election. That is hopeless. We have got to get on with it ... have a quick review, right now, sort it out and come up with an answer.

“The very least we should do is go into the next election absolutely knowing this sort of stuff is not going to go on into the next Parliament.”

Gordon Brown phoned Ms Smith over the weekend reassuring her that he would stand by her, but the Home Secretary was nonetheless facing questions about whether her authority has been fatally undermined by the incident.

As she left her London residence at around 9.15 this morning, escorted by police, Ms Smith did not make any comment to a crowd of around 30 photographers and journalists, who shouted to ask whether she would resign.

Ms Smith has let it be known that she did not actually see the films, which were watched by her husband, Richard Timney, at their family home in Redditch, while she was away.

The charge for the movies appeared on a Virgin Media bill which was apparently inadvertently submitted by Mr Timney - who acts as Ms Smith’s assistant and files her expenses - alongside a £67 bill for an internet connection.

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