SWINDON North MP Justin Tomlinson is facing calls to stand down as a minister after he passed on a confidential report to a Wonga employee.

The Minister for Disabled People has admitted giving a draft of a sensitive report into payday loan companies to an employee of Wonga in 2013 when he was on the Public Accounts Committee.

The Wonga employee then made suggestions to the MP which were then added to a final copy of the report into rules surrounding the loan companies.

Although Mr Tomlinson has admitted passing on the report and apologised, a full investigation has been launched as it is considered such a serious offence.

In a letter to the current chairman of the committee, the MP says as he was relatively new to the committee he was not fully aware of the rules regarding the passing on of draft reports.

He wrote: “As a result of my relative inexperience of select committee work I accept that I had not properly understood the position with regard to disclosure of a report to a third party prior to publication, and that the work of a "rapporteur" should have ceased at the end of the hearing.

“I entirely accept that I made an error and fully apologise to you and to all members of the Committee for this.

Mr Tomlinson says the reason he passed on the document was for the employee to give him advice on ways to help his campaign against payday loan companies.

 “When I read the initial draft of the Report in May 2013, I felt that there could be more of an emphasis upon the need to protect vulnerable consumers,” he said.

“I was also keen to include in the report the specific proposed regulations that should be imposed on the industry.

“In mitigation, I accept that I allowed my judgment to be clouded by my strongly-held belief that action needed to be taken on payday lenders.”

However, some opponents have called on him to stand down as a minister while this investigation is being carried out.

Speaking to the Sun newspaper, Labour MP John Spellar said: “He really should stand back as a Government minister until this is all resolved.

“He has not just let down Parliament, he has let down fellow members of the committee from all parties.”

Another Labour MP Jonathan Asworth said: “This is an extraordinary breach of the way in which MPs are supposed to conduct themselves on the committee.

“Questions will be raised about his suitability for ministerial office.”

A full investigation will now be held by the Parliament’s Committee of Privileges.