HOME Affairs Select Committee chairman Keith Vaz today spoke of his concern over the cost to the taxpayer of ousting former Gwent chief constable Carmel Napier.

Gwent's police and crime commissioner (PCC) Ian Johnston disclosed in a letter to MPs that his bid to oust Mrs Napier has cost the taxpayer more than £16,000 in legal fees.

Mrs Napier stepped down in May after Mr Johnston gave her an ultimatum -  retire or he would remove her.

Mr Johnston, who ran as an independent in the Gwent election, which attracted a turnout of 14%, told the Home Affairs Select Committee he had spent £16,522.50 so far on a £400-an-hour senior barrister and a £175-an-hour junior barrister.

Committee chairman Keith Vaz said: "I am deeply concerned at the amount the taxpayer has had to spend on legal advice for this Gwent saga.

"It is clear that the powers and accountability of PCCs need to be carefully scrutinised. The Committee will revisit the issue of PCCs on the anniversary of their election in November.’’

Mrs Napier announced that she was retiring from her 30-year career in policing on June 7, and after we obtained a document of her meeting with Mrs Johnston, we exclusively revealed that she had been forced out by Mr Johnston.

She told the Home Affairs Select Committee on Tuesday that Mr Johnston used ’’horrible words’’ when he called her into a meeting to present her with the ultimatum.

She said: ’’It was a clear threat. Retire or resign or - actually horrible words - I will humiliate and dismiss you.’’

Mrs Napier, who has worked for four forces in her career, told the committee that Mr Johnston read out the ultimatum from a written document in what she thought was to be a routine one-to-one meeting at her office on May 23.

Mr Johnston, a former chief superintendent in the Gwent force with more than 30 years of service, told the committee that Ms Napier was ’’hostile’’ to the idea of PCCs and he did not expect her to accept his offer of resignation.

The committee asked him to provide them with details of legal fees spent on removing Ms Napier from her post.

In his letter, Mr Johnston said: "I was told that the barristers in question advise Chief Constables and PCCs across the country and that their rates were reasonable for the work in question. I had and have no reason to doubt that.’’ PCCs, which replaced existing police authorities in 41 force areas across England and Wales, were handed the power to set force budgets and hire and fire chief constables.

Earlier in the year, the Home Affairs Select Committee published a report in which it warned that stronger scrutiny was required of elected police commissioners to prevent ’’maverick decision-making’’.

Just 15.1% of registered voters took part in the November 2012 PCC elections nationwide - the lowest recorded level of participation in a peacetime non-local government election in Britain.

Meanwhile in the House of Commons today, Newport West MP Paul Flynn said unlimited "Henry VIII’’ powers given to police and crime commissioners (PCCs) threaten the independence of the police.

Mr Flynn said the concept of "having two police constables in charge’’ with existing chief constables having their powers reduced was "a matter of great concern’’.

Turning to Commons Leader Andrew Lansley during business questions, Mr Flynn said: "When can we debate the creation of the office of police and crime commissioners which is causing disruption, waste and unhappiness throughout the country?

"The concept of having two police constables in charge, one of whom has Henry VIII powers - almost unlimited - and the existing chief constables having their powers diminished and threatened is a matter of great concern and a threat to the independence of our police.’’

Mr Lansley replied: "Democracy matters, and I think that in this context the accountability that comes with election is in itself important and I know is enabling people across the country to feel that to a greater extent than in the past their own priorities are able directly to be reflected in the priority setting of police services for their area.’’

Labour's Wayne David said Mr Johnston tweeted after the meeting that Labour's Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd), who sits on the committee, was "a plant of Gwent MPs’’.

Mr David said it was a "huge discourtesy’’.

He added: "On Tuesday the Home Affairs Select Committee took evidence on the police and crime commissioner for Gwent.

"At the meeting was the MP for the Vale of Clwyd who asked a number of extremely perceptive questions. I was therefore surprised to read a tweet after the meeting by the Gwent PCC who said that the honourable member for Vale of Clwyd was there as 'a plant' of Gwent MPs.

"Now such a red mark is a huge discourtesy to Gwent MPs, to a superb member for Vale of Clwyd, and to the select committee of this House.

"Can we have a debate on this?’’

Mr Lansley replied: "I entirely agree with you, I know as a matter of simple fact that members of this House don't go to select committees as a plant for anybody else and they ask questions on their own account and on behalf of the House and we should respect them for doing it as should witnesses to the committees.’’