CLAIMS by three Buckinghamshire MPS dropped by a total of about £21,000 in the six months after the expenses scandal last year, new figures show.

Accommodation, office, communications and incidental expenses between July and December 2009 have been published on Parliament's website (see link).

Second homes allowance claims fell after new limits were imposed in the wake of the scandal.

Former Wycombe MP Paul Goodman claimed the lowest amount, with expenses of £11,397 in the second half of last year. He claimed £25,619 during the same period in 2008.

The figures show he stopped claiming for mortgage payments on his second home in High Wycombe last year. He claimed £500 for food.

Last summer it was revealed Mr Goodman, who does not drive, had spent 3,892.80 in taxi fares around the constituency from 2005 to 2008.

He also claimed for items including a cot, stairgate and booster seat.

Amersham and Chesham MP Cheryl Gillan claimed a total of £13,292 between July and December last year, compared to 16,899 during the same period in 2008, the figures show. She did not claim expenses for food.

The new Welsh Secretary was unavailable for comment today.

In October, Mrs Gillan, who had a second home in Battersea, London, was told repay £1,884 in mortgage payments by Expenses auditor Sir Thomas Legg. She said she had over-claimed because a bank estimate for her yearly repayment was too high.

Last June she hit headlines after mistakenly claiming £4.47 for dog food, which she later paid back.

A change in the rules after the General Election means Mrs Gillan, along with the new Wycombe MP Steve Baker and Beaconsfield MP Dominic Grieve, cannot claim second home allowances. It was decided they could commute between London and their constituencies.

Aylesbury MP David Lidington is still able to claim the allowance and he is currently using hotels when he stays in London.

He claimed £17,972 in the second half of last year – down from £22,008 in the same period in 2008. His expenses included hotel bills of £3,223 and £310 for food.

He said today: “One possible reason for the reduction is staff changes – that sort of thing makes a difference. I'm still using hotels at the moment but I'm considering whether to rent somewhere.”

The new Europe minister was dubbed 'Mr Clean' last year after claiming around £1,200 for dry cleaning costs.

Beaconsfield MP Dominic Grieve claimed the most and was the only one of the four whose bill increased. He claimed £24,309 between July and December last year – up from £17,308. He did not claim food expenses.

He said apart from giving up his rented cottage in Marlow since the General Election he has not had to reduce his expenses.

During the scandal last year his claims were not heavily criticised. He had not claimed for food or furnishings and only claimed council tax in 2007/08.

The new Attorney General added: “I've always tried to claim the minimum and there are some things I don't claim for at all like mileage driving back and forth from the constituency.”

He now commutes to the constituency from his London home and said: “It's not easy at the moment - there are certainly a lot of late nights but that's what the rules require.”