Former minister failed to disclose new gig

A former government minister was pocketing a salary from a business lobby group while he was still a federal MP.

Former small business minister Bruce Billson has written to House of Representatives Clerk apologising for not disclosing he started receiving a $75,000 salary with the Franchise Council of Australia before he retired.

When the ABC 7.30 initially asked Mr Billson if he should have made the disclosure on his parliamentary register of interests he said: "No, because I think it's nonsense and utter crap. But if it's something you want me to check out, I'm happy to do that."

He later responded by email: "(It) was a discourtesy to the House of Representatives and an administrative failing of my behalf not to lodge a timely formal disclosure statement before the Parliament was prorogued."

The clerk's office declined to comment on individual cases or correspondence when contacted by AAP.

According to parliament's rules failure to declare income sources could be contempt of parliament.