After a heated debate, MEPs from EC's budgetary control committee have voted against publishing a confidential report detailing abuses by some deputies of their monthly staff allowance.

EUobserver.com reports two versions of the report are said to be available – a ‘soft’ version without names, which some MEPs were calling to be published, and one with names.

Herbert Bosch, an Austrian socialist MEP and head of the committee said its work would be ‘jeopardised’ if the report was made public. At the end of the afternoon session, those opposing the publication of the report won against those appealing for more transparency.

The EU's anti-fraud body OLAF has been sent a copy of the report and is expected to investigate whether MEPs have been involved in fraud using public money.

Read story in the EUobserver.com