Bucks MPs claim £75,000 for living away from home, figures show (From Bucks Free Press)
Send your news, photos and videos by texting bucksfreepress to 80360 or email
Bucks MPs claim £75,000 for living away from home, figures show
9:49pm Monday 30th March 2009 in News By Oliver Evans
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE MPs claimed £75,000 in costs for staying away from their main home in 12 months, figures released today show.
The four MPs claimed £75,026 for the “additional costs allowance”.
This is paid to cover “necessary costs incurred when staying overnight away from their main home for the purpose of performing parliamentary duties”.
The fee – a maximum £23,083 that is offered only to those constituencies outside of inner London – should be scrapped, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said today.
The figures, for the 12 months from April 2007, come as the row over MPs expenses deepens.
Overall, the MPs used £527,073 in travel and allowances. This includes staff, office and housing costs.
Wycombe MP Paul Goodman claimed £13,831 additional costs allowance.
Chesham and Amersham MP Cheryl Gillan claimed £23,057 and Beaconsfield MP Dominic Grieve claimed £18,668.
Aylesbury MP David Lidington – responsible for Princes Risborough – claimed £19,470.
To view the full allowances figures click here.
To view the full travel figures click here.
The figures also show the four claimed £5,155 in mileage for trips from their constituencies to Westminster.
Most of this, £3,384, was by Mrs Gillan, who also claimed £81 in rail trips from her constituency to the Commons.
Mr Goodman, Mr Grieve and Mr Lidington claimed £1,546, £1,624 and £1,138 in these fares respectively.
The figures also show the MPs spent £2,889 on stationary.
Comments(15)
ivor
says...
10:09pm Mon 30 Mar 09
This is the modern world where new-fangled electronic methods have replaced paper and envelopes so how on earth can they spend so much on stationary?
Have you read Ivor’s blog today? Click on the “YOUR SAY” link at the top of the page then click on “BLOGS”.
Sarah R Smith
says...
10:37pm Mon 30 Mar 09
wierdo
says...
10:47pm Mon 30 Mar 09
Whether you agree with it or not, its not a matter for the individual MP, but for the system as a whole.
There are not many people on here who would work and not put in their expenses claims....
Mutley
says...
11:12pm Mon 30 Mar 09
They spent it on stationary what? Stationary vehicles? Stationary people?
If it was spent on stationery then I'm not surprised it costs a fair bit as stamps are not cheap nowadays.
None of the figures quoted are particularly scandelous, it's just jumping on the expense-reporting bandwagon.
SW="rock-late"
yog
says...
11:34pm Mon 30 Mar 09
J B Blackett
says...
11:36pm Mon 30 Mar 09
wierdo wrote:Yes Weirdo , BUT not many people get to make up the Rules themselves and decide on how much they pay themselves.
To an extent, I think you need to give these guys a break. Whilst no doubt the rules need reviewing, they are generally only claiming what they are allowed to.
Whether you agree with it or not, its not a matter for the individual MP, but for the system as a whole.
There are not many people on here who would work and not put in their expenses claims....
Only Dictators , Bankers, Gangsters, Warlords and MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT - (that latter institution flaunted at us by MPs as the FAIREST and MOST DEMOCRATIC in the whole World)
These greedy people cannot be excused in any way - what they are doing may be legal in their eyes & terms but it is unacceptable and immoral. That money and resources should not be squandered on these scoundrels.
They are robbing us and stealing democracy from under our noses.
It has to stop - NOW !
crommington
says...
1:34am Tue 31 Mar 09
Townman
says...
5:43am Tue 31 Mar 09
Sarah R Smith wrote:Could not agree more with this comment. NONE of the South Bucks MP's need a London home. The Chiltern Line has the best service in the country. With early starts/late finish. No need at all for second home allowneces.
Makes me so cross when I think of all the people I know who manage to commute to their jobs in London!
Geezer from
says...
8:04am Tue 31 Mar 09
Observer of
says...
8:16am Tue 31 Mar 09
wierdo
says...
8:35am Tue 31 Mar 09
Seriously though, its just 1 area where money is wasted - take a look at the roads around wycombe and the dismal "repairs" that have been taking place (Most of which last less than a day). Every pothole repaired this way (by spooning in some tarmac and driving the truck / van over it, which takes at least 30 seconds or so) costs around £80. So, put that in perspective - the entire expense bill for all bucks MPs (75K) would pay for 937 potholes. And I can tell you, there are at least that many on my road alone....
You ain't seen me
says...
10:47am Tue 31 Mar 09
I refer the offer you get with Viking direct!
I used to run my own business and I found it very hard to spend less than 6k a year on stationary so I think we should leave this nice man alone!
wayneo
says...
9:55am Wed 1 Apr 09
I should take the stationary fee as being a good thing, it shows that the MP is actually working on our behalf.
crommington
says...
3:07am Thu 2 Apr 09
And i wonder why you dont run it anymore!...thats 115 quid a week on stationary!! No small business can possibly need to spend that much! Mine doesnt...
Lisa S says...
10:03pm Mon 30 Mar 09