From Thursday 19th June the last 4 years of MPs' expenses claims will be viewable on-line.
MPs are required to spend Mondays to Thursdays in London attending Parliament with business finishing at 10.30pm on Monday and Tuesday and 7pm on other days, clearly we can't get back to Stoke so have to have somewhere to stay in London: that's what the Second Home Allowance is for.
In my view MPs should only make claims (except in exceptional circumstances) for rent or mortgage interest; for utilities (gas, electricity, water rates, telephone); for insurance and for essential repairs (my hot water boiler has just broken down). We should not be claiming for furniture, TVs etc etc although there should be a special allowance for a new MP to equip his/her place for a period of one year. In short we should only be claiming for things that arise from our having to be in London and should be making claims for the minimum necessary to do the job, not the maximum allowable.
On the other allowances (such as office and research expenses) a "maximum allowable" culture has grown up in the belief that good office equipment helps MPs do a better job serving their constituents, so almost every MP claims to the hilt. It is true that we do deal with a great volume of letters, emails and phone calls, probably 8-10,000 a year but we need always to bear in mind that, although we are serving you, it is your money that we are spending.
At least having everything published on-line should be an effective restraint on claims.
On travel expenses we are paid to travel between our home (Stoke) and London when on Parliamentary business. We can drive (where we get a mileage allowance) or go by train. If you book in advance (and include the Senior Citizens' travel card that I have) it is much cheaper (and easier) to go by train.
I have attached below details of my own claims for the years 2004/2005 to 2007/2008, though areas of these expenses have been blacked out by the House of Commons Authorities, with the exception of the personal details of my staff, this was done without my permission and I am taking steps to rectify it:
Additional Costs Allowance 04/05
Incidental Expenses Provision 04/05
Additional Costs Allowance 05/06
Incidental Expenses Provision 05/06
Additional Costs Allowance 06/07
Incidental Expenses Provision 06/07
Additional Costs Allowance 07/08
Incidental Expenses Provision 07/08
Communications Allowance 07/08
Update
The following table summarises my Costs and Expenses between the 1st April - 30th November 2009:
| STAFFING | £48,447.69 (46.67% of annual allowance) |
| COMMUNICATION | £7,327.69 (70.46% of annual allowance) |
| ADMINISTRATIVE AND OFFICE EXPENDITURE | £4,231.50 (18.90% of annual allowance) |
| ACCOMODATION ALLOWANCE (water, Council Tax, electricity, gas, phone bill, mortgage interest) | £10,560.59 (43.60% of annual allowance) |
| TRAVEL | £3,455.70 |