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Expenses rules allow food claims Expenses rules allow food claims
(10 minutes later)
MPs will still be able to make some claims for food, without producing receipts, under amended expenses rules.MPs will still be able to make some claims for food, without producing receipts, under amended expenses rules.
The Green Book governing MPs' expenses, updated after the expenses scandal, has been published on Parliament's website. The Green Book, updated after the expenses row, continues to let MPs make "subsistence" claims of £25 a night when away on Parliamentary business.
Many MPs had faced criticism under the old rules for claiming up to £400 a month for food, without receipts, even when Parliament was in recess. Under interim changes agreed at the end of April, all expenses claims are supposed to be backed by receipts.
The amended rules allow them to claim £25 for each night they are away from home on Parliamentary business. The Speaker's office said he was aware of public concern and would raise the issue at his next committee meeting.
Under the old rules MPs could claim up to £4,800 a year, regardless of how many days Parliament was sitting. Many MPs had faced criticism under the old rules for claiming up to £400 a month for food, without receipts, even when Parliament was in recess. Some claimed up to £4,800 a year.
Under the new rules, if MPs were to claim for every day Parliament sat during the 128-day session this year, they could get a maximum of £3,200. Flat rate
Higher claims? Under the interim changes which came into force in July, all expenses claims were to be backed by receipts - previously it was only those over £25.
The amended rules have kept a clause stating: "A flat-rate sum of £25 may be claimed for any night which a member spends away from his or her main home on parliamentary business. At the time Commons leader Harriet Harman said: "There would need to be receipts for all claims.
"I really do think that that is something sensible which we could decide for ourselves now."
There is no question of an MP being able to claim the entire year in Westminster at £25 a day Sir Stuart BellHouse of Commons Commission
But the amended rule book, published in July, retains a clause which states: "A flat-rate sum of £25 may be claimed for any night which a member spends away from his or her main home on parliamentary business.
"No receipt is necessary in respect of the flat-rate payment for subsistence.""No receipt is necessary in respect of the flat-rate payment for subsistence."
But the Daily Telegraph, the newspaper which broke a series of stories about claims made under the old expenses system, said there was no way to verify how many nights MPs spent away from their main home on parliamentary business - and said claims could reach up to £9,125 a year. It means, during the 128-day Parliamentary session this year, MPs could claim a maximum of £3,200 without providing receipts.
Senior Labour backbencher Sir Stuart Bell denied the system could be abused, saying MPs would be expected to keep a record of nights spent away from home. The Daily Telegraph, the newspaper which broke a series of stories about claims made under the old expenses system, said there was no way to verify how many nights MPs spent away from their main home on parliamentary business - and said claims could reach up to £9,125 a year.
'Public concern'
A Commons Commission spokeswoman said Speaker John Bercow was "conscious of public concern" over claims made without receipts and would raise the issue at the next meeting of the Members Estimate Committee, which considers MPs' pay and allowances.A Commons Commission spokeswoman said Speaker John Bercow was "conscious of public concern" over claims made without receipts and would raise the issue at the next meeting of the Members Estimate Committee, which considers MPs' pay and allowances.
But she dismissed as "ludicrous" reports that more than £9,000 could be claimed under the rules.But she dismissed as "ludicrous" reports that more than £9,000 could be claimed under the rules.
Following the expenses furore earlier this year, MPs voted for a series of reforms to their expenses system. She said fewer than half of all MPs had claimed the allowance adding: "Of those that have claimed for the first quarter of this year, the average claim amounts to eight days a month."
Commons Commission member Sir Stuart Bell said the £25-a-night subsistence allowance had been approved last July and had been in operation since April.
"There is no question of an MP being able to claim the entire year in Westminster at £25 a day. If such a claim were to be made it would be subject to thorough investigation," he said.
Last week the Parliamentary Standards Bill, which sets up an independent body to run MPs' expenses, passed into law.Last week the Parliamentary Standards Bill, which sets up an independent body to run MPs' expenses, passed into law.
But the BBC understands that the system is likely to change yet again when an independent inquiry, conducted by Sir Christopher Kelly, reports in the autumn.But the BBC understands that the system is likely to change yet again when an independent inquiry, conducted by Sir Christopher Kelly, reports in the autumn.