Expenses pledge by civil servants

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8127724.stm

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The UK's top civil servant has published details of his business expenses, showing he spent over £19,000 on an official car over three months.

The cost of using the "secure" vehicle was the largest single expense incurred by Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell between April and June.

The publication showed his "commitment" to openness on the issue, he said.

He added that 250 of the UK's senior mandarins would release their own expenses claims in the coming weeks.

The release follows the publication of information about the hospitality enjoyed by senior civil servants earlier this year.

This showed that Sir Gus, head of the Home Civil Service, had attended the Chelsea Flower show as a guest of accountancy firm KPMG and Wimbledon courtesy of the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

In a letter to Tony Wright, chairman of the Public Administration Committee, Sir Gus said he was publishing his business expenses for the period between April and June before those of other senior civil servants "in order to demonstrate my commitment to this publication".

Apart from the £19,408 car bill, he claimed £733 in travel, accommodation and meals for events across the country as well as £130.50 for newspapers.

He added that information for other mandarins would be published at the end of July and updated quarterly.

Dr Wright welcomed the move "as an example for the wider public sector".