Philip Dunne, 61, has not previously been linked to the convicted paedophile – but he is listed in the document.

The book includes a host of famous names, including various other MPs and prominent political figures, notably former Prime Minister Tony Blair and ex US President Bill Clinton. It is unclear why the Ludlow MP’s place in the book - which has been known about for years - was not reported on earlier, but both he and his wife’s names are spelt incorrectly. ‘Phillip’ uses a double ‘L’, while his wife Domenica’s first name is spelt ‘Dominice’. A redacted phone number and London address are also visible. A scanned version of the book spells Mr Dunne’s first name correctly.

Mr Dunne’s office has not responded to repeated requests for comment on the issue.

When approached by Metro.co.uk for an explanation about why his name might be included in the book, Mr Dunne’s office did not respond, or deny that he was in the ‘little black book’. Many who have been named in the book claim to not have known Epstein.

Neither Mr Dunne’s name nor initials appear to be mentioned in flight logs of Epstein’s private jet known as the ‘Lolita Express’, according to a separate document also seen by Metro.co.uk.

It is unclear how the contact details of Mr Dunne, who previously dated Princess Diana, came to be in the book, which the disgraced sex offender Epstein used to hold phone numbers and addresses of various contacts. The document was first discovered by the investigative journalist Nick Bryant in 2012 and described by an FBI agent as ‘a small bound book’. It returned to prominence in recent weeks when it was published by the hacking group Anonymous.

That came amid growing pressure on Prince Andrew to explain his links to American financier Epstein, who officials say died by suicide in his cell in August 2019. The Duke of York has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein’s wrongdoing.

There is no suggestion the Oxford University-educated Mr Dunne was involved in any wrongdoing.

According to his website, Ludlow-born Mr Dunne - who chairs the Environmental Audit Committee -has two sons and two daughters, 20-years experience in business and was a director of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

He was also appointed to the Privy Council in February 2019.

The MP lost his job as a health minister in January 2018, after telling people to ‘sit on seats’ if there are no hospital beds available.

And in November last year, Mr Dunne reportedly accused a Sikh rival of ‘talking through his turban’ at a hustings event.