Investigations are being conducted into whether Rishi Sunak failed to disclose that his wife owns stock in a daycare center.
Some of the initiatives outlined in the Budget are purportedly going to be advantageous for the nanny and childminder company Koru Kids, whose shareholders include Akshata Murty.
Last month, when MPs questioned the prime minister about why the childcare policy favored private companies, they demanded that he “come clean” about the shares.
He omitted bringing up Ms Murthy’s stock in the company when he spoke before the Liaison Committee.
A fortnight earlier, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a pilot of incentive payments of £600 for childminders joining the profession.
Questioning why the sum doubles to £1,200 if workers sign up through an agency, Labour MP Catherine McKinnell asked if Mr Sunak had any interests to declare.
‘No, all my disclosures are declared in the normal way,’ he said.
Koru Kids, which is one of six childminder agencies listed on the Government’s website, welcomed the new Budget incentives as ‘great’.
At the time the possible conflict emerged, Mr Sunak’s press secretary said the interest would be included in the updated statement of ministers’ interests, due out in May.
Parliament’s standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg opened the inquiry into the PM under rules demanding MPs are ‘open and frank’ when declaring their interests.
Downing Street said Mr Sunak will clarify how it was declared as a ministerial interest, rather than to the Commons.
‘Members must always be open and frank in declaring any relevant interest in any proceeding of the House or its committees, and in any communications with ministers, members, public officials or public office holders,’ the standards watchdog wrote.
A No 10 spokeswoman responded: ‘We are happy to assist the commissioner to clarify how this has been transparently declared as a ministerial interest.’