10/12/2009

Fresh MPs' Home Expenses Revealed

A Labour MP has denied attempting to claim over £20,000 for the restoration of a bell tower at his constituency home.

Quentin Davies, a junior minister at the Ministry of Defence, received £5,376 for expenses, but later wrote to the Parliamentary fees office denying he requested money to repair a bell tower.

The revelation came as more details on the second home expenses submitted by Westminster MPs were published.

Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith claimed £555 for a new TV, while Tory 'duck house' claimant Sir Peter Viggers submitted an expense of £115 for employing "specialists in bird proofing/cleaning".

Speaker John Bercow claimed £22,465.49 for second home expenses between 2008 and 2009. Costs incurred included mortgage interest, council tax, gas, electricity and cleaning.

He has only made one utilities claim of £500 so far for 2009-2010.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has repaid the £500 he claimed for the painting of an outhouse, Downing Street confirmed this morning.

Tory leader David Cameron claimed £20,240.15 between 2008 and 2009. He has since claimed £3,066.91 for the period covered 2009 and 2010.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg added a letter from his gardener to his expenses submission, after claiming £760 for the repair of a garden path.

"My plan of attack this year will start with weeding the front garden and big bush which is overgrown. I will have to poison the big holly or it just keeps coming," the note says.

Mr Clegg has pledged to pay back any profits he makes when selling his constituency homes.

Members of Parliament who live outside London were entitled to claim up to £24,000 in second home expenses between 2008 and 2009.

This was designated to cover mortgage interest payments and general runnings costs, as well as everyday items such as TVs and furniture.

(PR/KMcA)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

13 May 2009
Minister To Repay £41k Home Expenses Claim
A Cabinet Minister had pledged to repay over £41,000 following newspaper reports exposing his expenses claims. Junior Health Minister Phil Hope said he would refund the £41,709 paid to him under the contentious second home allowance.
21 May 2009
Cameron Brings 'Direct' Roadshow To NI
Conservative leader David Cameron is in Northern Ireland today hosting his first Cameron Direct roadshow in the province. Prior to the meeting, Mr Cameron, who recently agreed a voting pact with the Ulster Unionist Party, said Parliamentary expenses for Sinn Féin MPs would be revoked under a new Tory government.
05 August 2013
Met Reach Out-Of-Court Settlement With Family Of Ian Tomlinson
The family of Ian Tomlinson have reached an out-of-court settlement with the Metropolitan Police over his death in London in 2009. Mr Tomlinson died shortly after being struck with a baton and pushed to the ground by a riot officer during G20 protests in the city. Mr Tomlinson was not involved in the protests and was just making his way home.
04 February 2010
More Furore Over MPs' Expenses
An investigation into parliamentary second home expenses has found UK MPs owe repayments of over £1.12m. Auditor Sir Thomas Legg recommended that 390 MPs - more than half of Commons members - should repay £1.3m of claims dating back to 2004. Some MPs have criticised Sir Thomas' handling of the review, branding it "sloppy".
30 March 2009
Smith Apologises Over Adult Film Expenses
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has been forced to apologise for trying to claim back the cost of the family's television package, which included two pornographic movies.