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| MLAs' expenses claims total £8m | MLAs' expenses claims total £8m |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Stormont's 108 assembly members claimed almost £8m in expenses in the past financial year. | Stormont's 108 assembly members claimed almost £8m in expenses in the past financial year. |
| Since April they have already claimed more than £2.5m. The highest claimant in 2008-2009 was the SDLP's Pat Ramsey. | Since April they have already claimed more than £2.5m. The highest claimant in 2008-2009 was the SDLP's Pat Ramsey. |
| His £95,000 claim is understood to have included an £11,000 disability allowance related to a hip replacement. | His £95,000 claim is understood to have included an £11,000 disability allowance related to a hip replacement. |
| DUP MP Gregory Campbell had the lowest claim of just under £37,000 followed by party colleagues David Simpson and Peter and Iris Robinson. | DUP MP Gregory Campbell had the lowest claim of just under £37,000 followed by party colleagues David Simpson and Peter and Iris Robinson. |
| MPs tended to be amongst the lowest claimants because their Westminster allowances are expected to cover some of their office costs. | |
| After Mr Ramsey, the MLAs who claimed the most were the UUP's Danny Kennedy, Arlene Foster of the DUP, the UUP's Tom Elliott and Sinn Fein's Raymond McCartney. | |
| The highest claimant in the current financial year so far is the SDLP Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie who claimed nearly £39,000 between April and July. | The highest claimant in the current financial year so far is the SDLP Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie who claimed nearly £39,000 between April and July. |
| Education Minister Caitriona Ruane of Sinn Fein was the lowest claimant over the same period with her total of £12,500, apart from Ulster Unionist Danny Kinihan who only became an MLA in June and had claimed just £800 by the time the figures were compiled. | |
| As in previous years, MLAs in border seats tended to be the highest claimants because of their higher travel allowances. |