MP expenses

I have now been sent the final figures for the costs of running my Parliamentary  office in 2014-15.

The staff costs were £58,022 compared to a maximum permitted budget of £138,600   (41.9% of budget)

My London accommodation costs were £3970.01, compared to a maximum budget of £8850   (44% of budget)

My other office costs were  £2292 compared with a budget of  £23 250.   (9.9% of budget)

 

The total costs were £64,284 compared to maximum budget of £170,700  ( 37.8% of maximum permitted budget)

I aim to keep my costs at under half the average cost of running an MP’s office. These figures imply I have done so.

I would like to thank my staff members for their excellent work and for providing a good value service with me to the people we serve.

3 Comments

  1. Simon
    May 15, 2015

    Could you explain what the London accommodation costs were for? The register of interest says that your only property interest is in a house in Putney so presumably that is your ordinary place of residence.

    Reply The costs are the running costs of the bedsit I own which I use when I have to stay in London for Parliament. I also own a small share in a friend’s house in Putney where I do not live which I have to declare as an investment holding. I receive no income on this. You do not have to declare your home, s MPs like everyone else pay for their own home out of taxed income. Mine is in Wokingham Borough.

  2. alan jutson
    May 16, 2015

    Pleased to see you practice what you preach, unlike many others.

    Thank you, and also thank you for providing this excellent site for information and discussion.

  3. Stephen Almond
    May 16, 2015

    So, taken in total, how much are MPs claiming in expenses compared to “pre-scandal” days?

    Reply I do not have the totals to hand, but I think it is more, as the total is largely driven by the costs of employing staff and the numbers of staff employed which have risen. Also some MPs who were buying a London flat with a mortgage paid for by the taxpayer switched to renting as mortgage interest was disallowed as an expense, and renting was usually dearer.

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