The Speaker of the House of Commons spent £45,000 of taxpayers money refurbishing his grace and favour apartment in Westminster.

Mr Bercow, who was appointed in June to restore the public’s faith in parliament after the expenses scandal, has also spent £13,000 on entertaining and hospitality.

The former Conservative MP had previously claimed that the refurbishment of the Speaker’s official residence, situated in the palace of Westminster, had cost £20,000.

However Freedom of Information documents obtained by a British newspaper have revealed the final costs to be £45,581.

The work was overseen by his wife Sally Bercow, after they moved from their previous residence, a mansion house in Westminster.

They claimed the flat, which had been used by Bercow's 64-year-old predecessor Michael Martin, was unsuitable for their three young children and would need extensive work.

The FOI documents reveal how Mrs Bercow, who last week announced she would stand as Labour councillor in Westminster, e-mailed Parliamentary officials with refurbishment requirements.

On June 30 she wrote “The existing wall paper is very office/board-roomy. So, if at all possible, can the walls be redecorated.

“Can the TV be replaced with a larger one and moved into a more central location (like it or not, it will be a focal point for the kids!!!).”

“I assume it will have Sky and we’ll need a DVD player too if possible.”

Bercow, 46, also spent £12,812 on entertaining and official functions during his first three months.

This included £3,599 on a three night trip to Rome to attend a G8 Speaker’s conference.

Michael Martin, who spent more than £700,000 on refurbishments to the flat during his tenure as Speaker, was forced step down over his role in the expenses scandal.

Bercow, a former Tennis star and MP for Buckingham, promised to make parliament more accountable to the taxpayer if he was elected.

During his campaign he said: “It is high time the House was run by professionals on a transparent basis, ensuring that we are accountable to the people who put us here.”

Times Recommends

• Milk: do we need a dairy godmother?
• DIY: the women doing it for themselves
• First double portrait of Princes unveiled