Lord Evans of Watford, the Labour peer facing cash-for-access questions, is under formal investigation by the Lords standards watchdog after undercover filming by the Guardian.

The Lords commissioners for standards announced on Tuesday that Evans, 82, was under investigation for potential breaches of the  rules, including a requirement for peers to “act always on their personal honour” as parliamentarians.

Evans told the Guardian on Tuesday: “I referred myself to the Lords standards commissioner last week.” He said he was unable to make further comment, but he has previously said he had not breached the code of conduct.

The announcement comes as two commercial events at the heart of what appears to amount to a cash-for-access venture run by Evans’ son have been moved out of parliament.

The networking events, which were planned for March and June in the House of Lords, are now due to take place at the Royal Automobile Club in London.

Last week  that Evans hosted commercial events in parliament on behalf of his son’s company, which was charging up to £25,000 for sponsorship. Evans owns a one-third shareholding in the business.

Evans was recorded offering access to ministers during discussions about sponsorship of the March event at which another peer, Richard Harrington, was due to speak. Lord Harrington pulled out of the event after the Guardian’s reporting.

During discussions about sponsoring the event with undercover reporters posing as property developers looking to lobby the government, Evans explained how to approach Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister and housing secretary. He said he was happy to support the supposed developers because he was keen to help the government build more social housing.

The Guardian has previously reported that Lord Evans of Watford and his son are involved in a cash-for-access venture that is taking place at the House of Lords.

Evans has denied any wrongdoing and has not received any payment in connection with the events he sponsored in the Lords.

The details of his conduct led to  for an official investigation by the Lords commissioners for standards. Angela Smith, the leader of the House of Lords, told the BBC that if Evans had broken the rules he should “not be a member of the house”.

The decision to relocate the events to a Pall Mall private members’ club raises questions about why they were originally planned to take place on the parliamentary estate. Details of the relocation appeared in changes to Eventbrite pages made after the Guardian’s reporting.

The Lords junior housing minister Sharon Taylor, who had been scheduled to speak at the June event, has pulled out. She told the Guardian she would not be attending in any capacity.

Evans and his son declined to say if they had offered refunds to anyone who had already bought access on the grounds that the event would be in parliament and feature members of the House of Lords as keynote speakers.

They did not answer questions about their intentions to invite ministers to future events, and did not give any reasons behind the relocation.

A spokesperson for Rayner previously said she was unaware of the activities and had not been involved in any way.
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