MP Hugo Swire has refused to comment on his second jobs – one of which earned him almost �500 an hour.

MP Hugo Swire has refused to comment on his second jobs - one of which earned him almost �500 an hour.

The Tory MP for East Devon disclosed in the Register of Members' Interests that he had received �5,904.76 for 12 hours of work as non-executive chairman of Photo-Me International Plc, Surrey.

He also received a salary of �902.74 at Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc, Hertfordshire.

A spokesman on behalf of Mr Swire said: "Mr Swire is out of the country at present and has no wish to comment."

Disclosure rules, which came into force on July 1, force MPs to say how much time they spend on non-parliamentary work and what they earn from them.

Mr Swire has listed duties as including 'attending meetings and offering advice.'

The Herald asked him to clarify his services and how he felt his constituents would feel about his earnings, given that the average hourly rate in the West Country is below the national average.

But his spokesman referred the Herald to his website, where he writes: "I hold two paid positions outside parliament, non-executive chairman of Photo Me International Plc and non-executive director of Symphony Environmental Plc.

"I have a range of unpaid positions, including being a member of the council of the RNLI as well as numerous other charitable commitments. The knowledge which I have gained from these has been hugely useful to me in Parliament."

Tory MP for Tiverton and Honiton Angela Browning has declared she received up to �5,000 for lectures to Civil Service College, which are paid direct to charities.