TORY MP Stephen Kerr is the subject of a complaint to the commissioner for standards after he gave a parliamentary pass to his old church buddy, a venture capitalist who has lobbied against gay marriage.

According to Commons records, the Stirling MP has sponsored a pass for Clifford Herbertson, the director of private equity firm Teallach Partners, and Clockwork Property Developments.

The ID card means Herbertson is effectively a staff member of the Stirling MP, and can access the parliamentary estate, get up close to MPs and Lords, and make use of some of the Palace of Westminster’s exclusive eateries.

There are very strict rules on who can get a pass for Parliament. Those who do must also declare any occupation or employment that pays more than £380 a year, if that role is in any way advantaged by the privileged access to Parliament afforded by a pass.

Any gifts of hospitality exceeding £380 in the course of a calendar year must also be declared.

Herbertson has not declared any interests.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing, and Kerr’s office insists the pass is to allow Herbertson, to help out with “research and speech writing occasionally”.

But The National understands a complaint has been lodged with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.

Between 2012 and 2017, Herbertson was an Area Seventy with the Mormons, one of the highest ranks in the church, and a role which often involved him lobbying politicians.

In an interview with Manchester University’s law department, Herbertson explained that “as an institution, we will identify certain issues that we believe are very important to put in formal engagement or make formal statements on.”

He added: “So if there were particular moral issues that the church feels strongly about we will make formal representation on those”.

The church has long opposed gay marriage. Russell M Nelson, recently appointed as president of the worldwide church, has called the Mormon opposition to same-sex marriage, “the will of the Lord.”

On the official Mormon Newsroom site, there are pictures of Herbertson standing next to David Cameron in 2015, handing the then Prime Minister a copy of his family history.

Herbertson, once described as “an affluent, busy and functional man” by the Times has also worked for Monitor Group, Kalchas Group, Exel Plc, and was a founding partner of Paradigm Global Partners LLP, though that firm was liquidated in 2014.

Stirling East SNP Councillor Alison Laurie said there were questions to be asked: “If Herbertson makes financial gain from company directorships this must declared in line with strict parliamentary protocol.

“It would be a serious breach of regulation and the trust of his constituents if Kerr has not been transparent on this.

“Both Stephen Kerr and Clifford Herbertson have held senior positions in the Mormon Church, however it would appear that Herbertson is known amongst Westminster circles, having previously met with high-ranking Tory MPs on behalf of the Church. Given the apparent lack of transparency to date on this, it is high time that Kerr came clean about the nature of Herbertson’s time spent in the Westminster Parliament – as sponsored by Kerr.”

A spokesman in Kerr’s office dismissed the councillor’s questions: “Stephen Kerr’s team mostly operates out of his office in his Stirling constituency. As such the staff and volunteers who work there mostly do not need access to a parliamentary pass.

“Stephen’s team consists of five staff members who work alongside five volunteers, including Clifford who is based in London. Clifford lives near London and helps out with research and speech writing occasionally as a long standing friend of Stephen’s.

“Clifford’s declaration of interest was undertaken within the rules for how Parliamentary passes are issued.

“The contribution that volunteers make to the running of Stephen’s office is much appreciated.”

Herbertson declined to comment.