From property surveys to TV, how West Midlands MPs made extra thousands of pounds

Just two MPs across 19 constituencies covered by the Express & Star declared income from a second job, however, as Parliament voted against a ban on the practice.

Sir Bill Cash, the Conservative MP for Stone, declared £25,000 of work from being a solicitor for Bridgnorth based William Cash & Co according to the Register of Members Interests, where MPs have to declare outside earnings, gifts, sponsorships, shareholding and hospitality.

The income was for 70 hours of work and was registered last month.

Jeremy Lefroy, Conservative MP for Stafford, is a director of Keele-based African Speciality Products, a supplier of coffee and cocoa and management services. He got £5,000 for 75 hours worth of advice and secretarial work over three months to the end of 2013.

He also received income from answering some surveys but the records show he donated some of the payments to charity.

Labour this week tried to ban MPs from holding paid directorships or consultancies but was defeated by 287 votes to 219 and is vowing to ban all its MPs from doing them at all after the election. However, surveys, shares, rental and media appearances would all be permitted to continue.

Labour MP for West Bromwich East, Tom Watson, also answered paid surveys but donated the money to his local party. South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson declared more than £500 from answering surveys.

Some West Midlands MPs were paid for appearing on BBC TV and radio shows.

Valerie Vaz, the Labour MP for Walsall South, got £600 plus expenses for appearing on a festive edition of University Challenge while Lichfield Conservative Michael Fabricant received £150 for going on Any Questions.

Miss Vaz also declared that she is a solicitor but as she is non-practising she has not declared any income from this.

No Labour MPs in the Black Country or southern Staffordshire have second jobs.

However West Bromwich West MP Adrian Bailey did declare he receives rental income on two holiday properties in Cornwall, which he owns jointly with his wife.

Pat McFadden, MP for Wolverhampton South East, also receives rental income, however he uses this to pay off the mortgage on the property he is renting out. He bought the home long before the 2009 expenses scandal, which led to a change in the rules and a ban on MPs owning their second homes. Mr McFadden had done nothing wrong but was affected by the change. Selling the house would have left him significantly out of pocket so he was forced to rent another property on expenses and rent out the one he owns.

Tory MPs Aidan Burley and Chris Kelly, representing Cannock Chase and Dudley South respectively, are both standing down at the election and both declared rental income from properties in London.

A number of Conservatives also own shares although no income from this appears on the official register.

Margot James, MP for Stourbridge, declared shares in a film production company, Violet Productions, and Childcare Corp VCT, but does not have any directorships or second jobs.

She said: "Although I do not have a second job myself, I think it would be a mistake to stop outside earnings. MPs have to keep up a degree of knowledge. What is wrong, however, is to use the position to provide a consultancy doing active political work that helps create more favourable conditions for paying clients without it being declared."

Wolverhampton South West MP Paul Uppal and Stafford's Mr Lefroy also have shares in businesses as does outgoing Aldridge-Brownhills MP Sir Richard Shepherd.

Wyre Forest's Mark Garnier declared his role as chairman of a committee of the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers of London - for which he receives a nominal sum of 10p once a quarter.

Emma Reynolds, Labour MP for Wolverhampton North East, said: "There will be some cases where it is reasonable for an MP from a professional background to want to do a small amount of work to keep their skills current.

"But our first duty should be to our constituencies and the people who elected us. We need a system that commands the respect of the British people. I don't know how anyone has the time to do anything else. And I believe we are paid a fair wage for the work we do so I don't see why anyone feels the need to supplement it."

But Prime Minister David Cameron said: "We have practising doctors in this House, we have practising dentists, we have people who take part serving our country in Afghanistan or Iraq and we do have people who run family businesses or have other interests.

"What you want is a Parliament where people can come and share their experience and make some points instead of just having a whole lot of trade union-sponsored ciphers."

The vote came after former Conservative foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind stepped down as chairman of the committee that oversees Britain's intelligence agencies and announced he was quitting as an MP after being caught by hidden cameras discussing the possibility of working for a fictitious Chinese company.

Sir Malcolm and ex-Labour foreign secretary Jack Straw - also caught in the sting by Channel 4's Dispatches and The Daily Telegraph - said they have referred themselves for an investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards which will not be completed until after the general election. Both deny wrongdoing.