The independent body which monitors MP’s expenses (IPSA) releases the annual summary of expense accounts of each Member of Parliament on an annual basis, usually at around this time of year. Soon afterwards I give an update on the overall figures in an edition of this fortnightly E-Newsletter.
This year, the General Election having been held in June has meant that IPSA (Independent Parliamentary Standards Agency) have pushed this date back a few weeks to October.
I hope therefore to give my usual full annual breakdown soon after that but in the meantime I thought it would be useful to give some information about MP’s Parliamentary Expenses generally and my position personally.
Road Expenses: AMOUNT CLAIMED: £0
As an MP I am able to claim expenses for every mile I travel in my car on non-personal business. I could claim 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles and 25p per mile thereafter. The 140 mile round trip between Northampton and Westminster would allow me to claim around £60 in expenses each time.
However in the seven years I have been an MP I have NEVER claimed ANY of these costs. I pay for all of my petrol, and wear to my vehicle, from my own salary. This will have saved the taxpayer thousands of pounds over the years.
Taxis: AMOUNT CLAIMED: £0
MPs are allowed to claim for taxi journeys in certain circumstances. In the seven years I have been an MP I have never claimed for ANY taxi journey.
Trains: AMOUNT CLAIMED: £0
As an MP I am able to claim for train journeys to and from Northampton; MP’s can be reimbursed at the rate of an ‘anytime standard open ticket’.
Again in the seven years I have been an MP I have NEVER claimed for ANY train journey.
Congestion Charge: AMOUNT CLAIMED: £0
It is possible for me to claim the £11.50 London congestion charge. I could also claim back parking and toll charges.
Again I have NEVER claimed for ANY such charges in the seven years I have been an MP.
Food: AMOUNT CLAIMED: £0
In the past it was possible for MP’s to claim food expenses when the House of Commons sat beyond 7.30pm, which it does frequently.
I never did claim any food expenses and all food, including when I entertain others, comes out of my salary. (Food claims are no longer permitted, but my practice of not claiming for five years will have saved thousands of pounds of taxpayer’s money).
Foreign Trips at Public Expense: AMOUNT: 0
In the seven years I have been an MP I have never been on a foreign parliamentary trip at the public expense.
On the three occasions over the seven years when I have been on a delegation I went at private expense and I went on these when parliament was not sitting so as not to miss any business.
Accommodation: AMOUNT CLAIMED: FULL
If a Member of Parliament lives outside Greater London they are able to claim the rent equivalent to a one-bedroom flat in central London, roughly £20,000 per annum. The MP is not allowed to own the property or be connected to the landlord to whom the rent is being paid.
I do claim the full amount for a one bedroom flat in London, and the money is paid directly to the landlord (Passion Property Group). On my salary as an MP it would not be possible to keep two homes. However I have not claimed any such expenses for my own home in Northampton.
Office Budget: AMOUNT UNDERSPENT: £101,000 (SOON TO BE UPDATED)
In order to claim Office expenses, MPs are required to purchase the necessary item for their office and provide a receipt, after which a claim may be allowed.
I have claimed what I feel to be necessary and responsible in order to run my parliamentary office. In each of the seven years I have been an MP this has NEVER required me to ‘max out’ my budget and I always avoid wasteful spending. I have underspent well over £10,000 a year on average from the maximum allowed, and over the years this has amounted to savings to the public purse of well over £100,000. When the latest figures are released I expect this figure to rise.
Staff Costs: AMOUNT UNDERSPENT: £177,000 (SOON TO BE UPDATED)
I run a busy parliamentary office answering hundreds of pieces of correspondence from constituents each week. In order for me to respond promptly and effectively I require the assistance of my hardworking team. Though I have a duty to run an effective office I still keep the costs as reasonable as possible and try to make all of the savings possible when hiring staff. I carry out proper and lengthy processes to ensure all of my parliamentary staff are suitable to deal with sensitive cases.
Over the years I have always significantly underspent the maximum allowed staffing budget. This has meant that in the seven years I have been an MP the taxpayer has been saved well over £177,000 by me not spending everything I was allowed to spend on staff salaries. When the latest figures are released I expect this figure to rise.
Summary:
In summary, my ethos is to save the tax payer money at every opportunity.
I intend to publish my latest full expenses record soon after the release of the figures by IPSA in October. Those figures will take account of the most recent financial year.
More information can be found on the IPSA website by clicking on the following link: http://www.theipsa.org.uk/.
In the meantime I hope you find this general information helpful. If you would like more detail about any of the above, or have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to email me.