STANDARDS in public life have come under intense scrutiny in the last fortnight, leaving public confidence at an all-time low.

Many MPs have second jobs, with some, like Sir Geoffrey Cox coining in vast sums on top of their already high salaries.

Freebies, cash for answering questions and donations from the private sector are also the source of deep concern.

FULL LIST: The North East MPs raking in thousands in donations and second jobs

This week, The Northern Echo lifts the lid on where MPs in our region get their income as part of our The Money Trail investigation tracing the cash behind our MPs.

We tracked the cash trail using the Register of Members' Financial Interests, and while there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing, there are some surprising results.

We're publishing the records held for every MP in the North East and North Yorkshire to help you understand how your politician compares.

What exactly is on the register

There are ten main categories on the register, which is maintained and updated by the Parliamentary for Commissioner for Standards, and require an MP to declare, where appropriate.

MPs in England must declare additional paid employment (second jobs), donations, gifts, hospitality and any homes where the value is more than £100,000 and/or provides rental income of more than £10,000 a year.

They must also declare any shares they have which amount to more than 15 percent of the issues share capital of that company or more than 15 percent of a partnership, while they must declare any shares valued more than £70,000.

When it comes to family, MPs are required to declare whether any members are employed and receive more than £700 in a calendar year as this comes from taxpayers' money (parliamentary expenses).

MPs are also required to declare the details of any family members involved in "lobbying," which is when an individual tries to persuade someone in Parliament to support a specific policy or campaign.

What's on  Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams' register

These are the figures for the Conservative Selby and Ainsty MP, Nigel Adams as of Monday, November 1.

How much did he make in second jobs and additional income

Mr Adams is not recorded as having any second jobs nor did he receive any additional income from work while serving as an MP.

Did he receive any gifts, benefits or hospitality

However, Mr Adams has received thousands in donations all in the form of tickets and hospitality to attend the Euro 2020 games throughout the season.

An amount of £1,999.14 for this reason was donated by the Betting and Gaming Council, with this amount received on June 18, 2021.

An amount of £1,961 was donated by Power Leisure Bookmakers Ltd, with this amount received on June 29, 2021.

An amount of £3,457 was donated by Entain Holdings UK, with this amount received on July 7, 2021.

An amount of £620 was donated by Heineken UK Ltd, with this amount received on July 11, 2021.

Does he have a home worth more than £100k or receiving more than £10k a year in rent?

The register says that Mr Adams has a number of properties, co-owned with his wife, including a home in Selby, two homes in York and one in Leeds.

Does he employ any family members who are paid from his expenses

According to the register, Mr Adams currently employs his spouse, Claire Adams, as his part time Office Manager.

Mr Adams was approached for comment.

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