IAN Paisley will find out on Tuesday if his major breach of parliamentary rules will lead to the 30-day suspension recommended by a watchdog.
The DUP representative has faced calls to resign or the prospect of a by-election for his failure to register two family holidays funded by the Sri Lankan government.
The standards committee said Mr Paisley had committed "serious misconduct" and his actions "were of a nature to bring the House of Commons into disrepute".
A report said the cost of the hospitality may have been "significantly more" than Mr Paisley's £50,000 estimate, with the holidays including business-class air travel, accommodation at first-class hotels and helicopter journeys.
The trips also included meeting with Sri Lankan government figures.
The threshold for registering such hospitality in 2013 was around £660.
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In March 2014, Mr Paisley lobbied against a proposed United Nations resolution to investigate human rights abuse allegations aimed at Sri Lanka, with the committee noting that the financial benefits were not declared in his letter to then British prime minister David Cameron.
His personal statement to the House yesterday reminded fellow members that the suspension is "subject to their approval", raising the prospect of a reprieve.
Because the prospective suspension is longer than 10 days, if 10 per cent of the electorate signs a petition within six weeks a by-election would be triggered.
DUP leader Arlene Foster told the BBC yesterday she had received a personal apology from Mr Paisley, but declined an invitation to express her "full support" for him, saying it is now a matter for party officers.
Mr Paisley was asked by the BBC why he accepted the luxury holidays said replied: "I would ask people to carefully consider my very genuine and my heartfelt comments. I've made my statement fully to the House. I believe it's up to other people to consider now what happens next."
A Commons spokesman said the committee's recommendation will be put before the House on Tuesday.
"If, for whatever reason, this motion was rejected by the House then it would be for the Committee on Standards to decide what to do next," he said.
As one of 10 DUP MPs aiding Prime Minister Theresa May in key Brexit votes, a suspension and by-election campaign could come at a crucial time for for the government.
Green Party leader Steven Agnew said yesterday that the "extremely strong parliamentary standards sanction shows the seriousness of Mr Paisley's conduct".
"It's right that the people of North Antrim should now decide whether Ian Paisley jnr should continue as their MP," he said.
Read more:
- Ian Paisley looks to 'the prophet Isaiah' as he eats humble pie in House of Commons
- Undated selfie 'taken at 11th night bonfire' offered as proof Paisley was not in Sri Lanka on that date
- Ian Paisley has made headlines before for all the wrong reasons
- What did the lavish Sri Lanka trips cost?
- Analysis: Ian Paisley's actions spell all kinds of trouble (premium)
- Brian Feeney: Paisley faces biggest challenge of his chequered career (Premium)
