Lobbyists who represent tobacco companies should be banned from running an influential Westminster committee, the ex-standards watchdog chief has warned.

Sir Alistair Graham, the former chair of the committee for standards in public life, said it is not appropriate for the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) to bankroll a parliamentary group that is meant to be holding them to account.

He called for the rules governing All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) to be overhauled to prevent lobbyists from buying influence at the heart of Government.

Members of the APPG on e-cigarettes have also been criticised for accepting hospitality from tobacco companies, including tickets to the Chelsea Flower Show and the World Cup.

The cross party group was set up in 2014 by the Conservative MP Mark Pawsey, who said the sector “demands further scrutiny and investigation from MPs”.

From its inception, the APPG on e-cigarettes was run a lobby group acting for the JTI-owned e-cigarette brand E-lites, as well as the then e-cigarette trade body.

The lobby group, called ABZED, spent between £6,620 and £8,120 on hosting two receptions for MPs and their guests. UKVIA took over running the secretariat in 2016 and have so far spent between £48,000 and £52,000 on running the APPG.