An MP who stormed out of a Commons debate after verbally abusing a minister could be forced to apologise.

Otley MP Greg Mulholland let rip when he was angered by the refusal of health minister Ivan Lewis to let him intervene in a debate on hospice funding.

Today Speaker Michael Martin was investigating the Lib Dem health spokesman's outburst.

Mr Mulholland had been speaking about "inequalities" in hospice funding, but the minister accused him of playing party politics and asked whether he wanted to "write a blank cheque to the hospice movement".

The Hansard report of the debate records Mr Mulholland attempting three times to intervene before verbally abusing Mr Lewis and storming out of the chamber.

Mr Lewis replied: "That was not very parliamentary language."

The Speaker's Office today said: "The Speaker is aware of the situation and steps are being taken.

"There is no official complaint to the Speaker at the moment."

Under parliamentary rules, MPs who swear or make offensive comments can be made to apologise and retract the abuse.

Mr Mulholland said today: "There was quite an extraordinary response and rant from the minister.

"Ivan Lewis' speech was completely out of place in that kind of debate. It was really quite disgraceful.

"The reality is that most hospices have suffered a cut in funding. He was quite pathological about the Lib Dems.

"I made my feelings quite clear by leaving the debate."