BUSINESS Minister Matthew Hancock may have Oxford and Cambridge degrees but common decency appears to have eluded him after he was caught red-handed dipping into over a thousand pounds' worth of pounds worth of taxpayer-funded stationery.

The well-heeled Tory — formerly a member of the public accounts committee that scrutinises government spending — was forced to face the music yesterday after being found guilty of using thousands of branded pre-paid envelopes and notepaper for a party mailshot.

Parliamentary commissioner for standards Kathryn Hughes upheld a complaint over the West Suffolk MPs dispatch of a letter to constituents boasting of the government’s record as well as a questionnaire printed on the distinctive Commons paper.

Mr Hancock blustered that he was “very sorry” for breaching the rules and agreed to cough up the £1,674 cost of 3,100 envelopes and 6,200 sheets of paper consumed in his self-promotional push.