The European Parliament came under mounting pressure last night to publish a secret report into the misuse of expenses by MEPs, which whistleblowers claim shows widespread abuse of taxpayers’ money.

The few MEPs permitted to see the internal audit were alarmed after parliamentary officials said they had not called in EU anti-fraud investigators because they did not think it showed fraud.

The audit of 167 MEPs’ staff expenses found seven had set up companies to pay staff who apparently did not exist and others employing unqualified family members or paying the whole allowance of €15,496 (£11,710) a month to one person, The Times reports. Moreover, the auditor found more than 20 Christmas bonuses hard to justify.

The report, which does not name any MEPs and is shrouded in secrecy, was drawn up by an internal auditor and can only be viewed by members on the budget control committee.

Read story in The Times