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MPs’ Expenses

21 May 2009

The House Authorities will shortly be publishing all my claim forms along with receipts/evidence.  For data protection reasons to protect others, I cannot publish this information in its entirety on my website but I have been through my files and completed the tables below with all the details.

In going through my accounts I have noticed a number of errors (some mine, some by the Fees Office) mainly in the arithmetic.  In some circumstances this has been to my favour, in others to my detriment.   Where this has happened I have highlighted it as a +/- error in the totals column. A plus means I have been paid too much, a minus too little.  Please also see the information below.

On the information made available to MPs about their own claims for past years, there is no total figure for the year given and there seem to be some instances where they have put my April claim in with the previous year.  For this reason I have not provided totals for each parliamentary year.  Please see the Members' Allowances pages on the www.parliament.uk website.

My claim for 2008/09 totals just above £11,000 and I will be posting further details when I have had time to go through my records. The Fees Office have not yet made their records available to MPs.

Click here to see an example of one of my claim forms.

The whole series of revelations on MPs expenses has exposed a system in which we have been seen to be maximising the amount we can claim in expenses rather than minimising claims.  I had rationalised my own claims on the basis of what I considered to be reasonable expenditure to meet additional costs of needing to live in London during the week, and working late Monday to Thursday (usually till around midnight) meaning that I cannot go home to prepare meals but generally eat in Commons' dining rooms four nights a week.  I therefore claimed £8, or more recently, £10 a night when I paid for these meals myself. I did not claim for the costs of lunch as most workers have these costs.   My claims for my flat were on the basis that I thought it reasonable for this to be of a similar standard to my family home in terms of furnishings and decorations.  My son told me off when I told him I had put in a claim of £700 for a picture and he was right. As it happens, this claim was refused - but I should not have made it.

I would be happy to answer any further questions from constituents or local media.

For more information on MPs' Allowances/Expenses click here



My claims from the Additional Cost Allowance:



April 2004 - March 2005

 

April

30.04.04

May

11.05.04

June

21.06.04

July

 19.07.04

Aug/Sept
/Oct
18.10.04

Mortgage

 

213.40

235.82

264.48

264.48

578.22
(3 months but error)

Food

 40.00

30.00

140.00

120.00

160.00

Utilities

188.06

11.01

93.75

  0.00

101.95

Council
Tax

  76.81

79.00

79.00

79.00

287.00
3 months

Telephone

40.66

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

36.36

Cleaning

  0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Service/
Maintenance

135.04

135.04

135.04

135.04

405.12
3 months

Repairs/
Insurance/
Security

3500.00
Bathroom
refurbishment

  0.00

2600.00
Completion of bathroom

  0.00

1274.00
Decorating

Other

 

  0.00

  0.00

44.49
Bathroom shelf

64.64
Bathroom
accessories

50.00
Ground rent

16.39
Bathroom equipment

Total

4193.97

490.87

3356.76

713.16

2859.40

 

 

Nov/Dec/Jan
21.01.05

Feb
02.02.05

March
31.03.05

Mortgage

 

1146.79
(3 months + rectify error)

289.65

289.65

Food

240.00

100.00

120.00

Utilities

77.65

  0.00

198.72

Council Tax

287.00
3 months

  0.00

  0.00

Telephone

  0.00

83.94

  0.00

Cleaning

  0.00

  0.00

108.00

Service/
Maintenance

405.12
3 months

135.04

135.04 + 78.15
(5 x 15.63 as claimed incorrect amount)

Repairs/
Insurance/
Security

  0.00

  0.00

309.39
Insurance

Other

 

121.00
TV license
1298.30
Bed, mattress, drawer
78.31
Household equipment
28.98
Hairdryer

60.00
Residents’ parking permit
45.00
Waste bin &  key
69.95
Radio

  0.00

Total

2683.15
Error -1000

783.58

1238.95

 

April 2005 - April 2006

 

April
04.04.05

June
02.06.05

July
04.07.05

Aug
11.08.05

Sept
06.09.05

Oct
01.10.05

Mortgage

 

Actual payment:
106.20

Claim:
289.65

Actual payment:
242.93
Claim:
289.65

289.65

289.65

276.99

276.99

Food

7.80

80.00

160.00

120.00

  0.00

10.00

Utilities

 

Actual payment:
97.40
Water
Claim:
114.00

18.00

98.26

24.99

49.98

52.00

Council
Tax

  0.00

Actual payment:
137.54

Claim:
164.00

82.00

82.00

82.00

82.00

Telephone/
Broadband

  0.00

162.41

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

81.95

Cleaning

 0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Service/
Maintenance

Actual payment:
0.00
Claim:
150.67

150.67

150.67

150.67

150.67

150.67

Repairs/
Insurance/
Security

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

815.00
Repairs & replacement of 2 radiators

943.00

Security

361.84
Alarm security

  0.00

Other

 

  0.00

518.75
TV & aerial

9.99
Terracotta pot

34.50
Household items
250.00
Table

240.00
Picture

120.99
Household items

200.00
Wardrobe

183.62
Picture
250.00
Table

Total

211.04

1310.30

790.57

2709.81

1482.47

1087.23

 

 

Nov
01.11.05

Dec
06.12.05

Jan
07.01.06

Feb
01.02.06

Mar
07.03.06  31.03.06

April
08.04.06

Mortgage

276.99

276.99

276.99

276.99

276.99

276.99

Food

100.00

32.00

80.00

140.00

150.00

90.00

Utilities

  0.00

62.34

  0.00

130.70

180.64

239.93
Water

Council
Tax

82.00

82.00

82.00

81.00
Error

82.00
Error

82.46

Telephone/
Broadband

24.99

73.02

24.99

84.99

70.24

24.99

Cleaning

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

Service/
Maintenance

150.67

150.67

150.67

150.67

150.67

150.67

Repairs/
Insurance/
Security

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

315.15
Insurance

  0.00

Other

 

60.00
Parking permit

126.50
TV license

  0.00

250.00
Bedside table

51.00
Glasses

250.00
Rug

Actual payment:

600.00
2 Rugs
Claim:
1300.00

Actual payment:

0.00
2 pictures
Claim:
775.00


[1]

  0.00

Total

 

694.65

903.52
Error +100

654.55
Error +40

1055.35
Error -60

2030.64[2]
Error
+96.05

869.04
Error +4

 

[1] £1250 Decorating

[2] Correct total: £3280.64

Please click here for explanation of why the above figures are in a footnote
Please click here for next set of footnotes.

 

May 2006 - April 2007

 

May
08.05.06

June
12.06.06

July
01.07.06

Aug
12.08.06

Sept
16.09.06

Oct
19.10.06

Mortgage

276.99

276.99

276.90

276.90

276.90

289.52

Food

80.00

100.00

70.00

150.00

20.00

80.00

Utilities

48.00

17.00

142.11

17.00

17.00

37.24

Council
Tax

85.00

85.00

85.00

85.00

85.00

85.00

Telephone

24.99

67.96

24.99

67.96

24.99

24.99

Cleaning

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Service/
Maintenance

174.67

174.67

174.67

174.67

174.67

174.67

Repairs/
Insurance/
Security

0.00

0.00

878.90
Replacing floorboards

90.48
Security

250.00
Completion of floor

20.00

Other

 

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

20.00
Planters

706.90
Wallpaper
600.00
Decorating

Total

689.65

721.62

1612.57
Error -40

929.97
Error +67.96

868.56

2018.32

 

 

Nov
14.11.06

Dec
19.12.06

Jan
04.01.07

Feb
05.02.07

Mar
05.03.07

31.03.07

April
01.04.07

Mortgage

289.52

302.25

302.25

315.04

315.04

315.04

Food

110.00

200.00

0.00

150.00

220.00

0.00

Utilities

17.00

17.00

119.21

17.00

45.00

155.44

Council
Tax

85.00

85.00

85.00

85.00
Error

85.00
Error

0.00

Telephone

96.09

24.99

24.99

64.67

24.99

24.99

Cleaning

71.10

240.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Service/
Maintenance

174.67

174.67

174.67

174.67

174.67

174.67

Repairs/
Insurance/
Security

130.00
Electric sockets

0.00

0.00

0.00

145.45

169.12

Other

 

600.00
Book-shelves

[1]

0.00

52.00
Glasses & dishes
168.00
Curtain rail

0.00

0.00

0.00

Total

1573.38

[2]

1043.91

926.12

806.38

910.15
Error -100

839.26

 


[1] £1105 Decorating

[2] Correct total £2678.38

 
Please click here for explanation of why the above figures are in a footnote

May 2007 - March 2008

 

May
08.05.07

June
30.06.07

July
01.07.07

Aug
13.08.07

Sept
14.09.07

Oct
08.10.07

Mortgage

315.04

327.51

327.51

340.17

340.17

340.17

Food

150.00

220.00

   0.00

160.00

   6.00

   0.00

Utilities

161.82

  45.00

  45.00

  45.00

  45.00

45.00

Council
Tax

  89.00

  89.00

  89.00

  89.00

  89.00

89.00

Telephone

  24.99

  65.09

24.99

  76.70

24.99

24.99

Cleaning

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service/
Maintenance

174.67

174.67

174.67

174.67

174.67

174.67

Repairs/
Insurance/
Security

   0.00

  0.00

   0.00

   0.00

250.00

94.00

Other

 

   0.00

289.46
Deposit on boiler

Actual payment: 
0.00
  
Plants
Claim:
45.00

2605.08
Central   
heating   
boiler

7.99
Teapot

32.00

  Plates

   0.00

250.00
Kitchen lights

160.00

Bathroom fittings

250.00

Wooden filing cabinet

Total

915.52

1210.73

661.17

3530.61

931.83
Error +2

1427.83

 

 

 

Nov
30.11.07

Dec
03.12.07

Jan
21.01.08

Feb
29.02.08

March
31.03.08

Mortgage

340.17

340.17

340.17

340.17

340.17

Food

260.00

10.00

220.00

180.00

160.00

Utilities

45.00

45.00

45.00

  45.00

  45.00

127.72
 
Water

Council
Tax

89.00

89.00

89.00

  89.00

- 89.00


Telephone

70.57

24.99

24.99

  69.14

24.99

Cleaning

0.00

0.00

   0.00

   0.00

   0.00

Service/
Maintenance

174.67

174.67

174.67

174.67

174.67

Repairs/
Insurance/
Security

94.00

  0.00

  0.00

   0.00

   0.00

Other

 

  0.00

 

  0.00

135.50
TV license

28.00
Milk pan
14.99
Toaster

300.00
Decorator
23.50

Ceiling rose
15.99
Iron

Total

1073.41

 

683.83

1029.33

940.97

1123.04

 

Details of over/under payments

Overpayments

Date

Amount

06.12.05

+ 100.00

07.01.06

  + 40.00

07.03.06

  + 96.05

08.04.06

    + 4.00

12.08.06

  + 67.96

14.09.07

    + 2.00

Total: 310.01

Underpayments 

Date

Amount

21.01.05

- 1000.00

01.02.06

    - 60.00

01.07.06

    - 40.00

05.03.07

  - 100.00

Total: 1200.00

When both over & under payments are taken into account I was underpaid by £889.99

However, I claimed for 4 council tax payments in error.

Council Tax 

Date

Amount

01.02.06

81.00

07.03.06

82.00

05.02.07

85.00

05.03.07

85.00

Total: 414.00

Underpaid by £475.99 in total

The Fees Office also reduced my claim in April 2005 and June 2005 because of the General Election.  However, they did not make allowances for the fact that I had already taken this into account by not making a claim in May 2005.

 

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