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| DUP MPs to repay £14k in expenses | DUP MPs to repay £14k in expenses |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Seven DUP MPs have been asked to pay back a total of more than £14,000 in expenses under a reassessment of claims by an independent auditor. | Seven DUP MPs have been asked to pay back a total of more than £14,000 in expenses under a reassessment of claims by an independent auditor. |
| William McCrea is to repay £5,329, the highest amount requested. | William McCrea is to repay £5,329, the highest amount requested. |
| East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson and North Belfast representative Nigel Dodds are not required to repay any money. | East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson and North Belfast representative Nigel Dodds are not required to repay any money. |
| Among the other parties Martin McGuinness, Sylvia Hermon and Mark Durkan have been asked to make repayments. | Among the other parties Martin McGuinness, Sylvia Hermon and Mark Durkan have been asked to make repayments. |
| MPs expenses claims have been scrutinised by auditor Sir Thomas Legg. He is taking a tougher line than the Commons Fees Office which originally approved the expenses. | MPs expenses claims have been scrutinised by auditor Sir Thomas Legg. He is taking a tougher line than the Commons Fees Office which originally approved the expenses. |
| The South Antrim MP William McCrea said his repayments related to furniture he purchased, duplicated service charges and a duplicated allowance for a TV licence. | The South Antrim MP William McCrea said his repayments related to furniture he purchased, duplicated service charges and a duplicated allowance for a TV licence. |
| East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has been asked to repay £2,656. | East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has been asked to repay £2,656. |
| He said this related to four items, including accommodation expenses which exceeded the maximum claim allowed. | He said this related to four items, including accommodation expenses which exceeded the maximum claim allowed. |
| Iris Robinson, wife of party leader Peter, was told to repay £2,274. | Iris Robinson, wife of party leader Peter, was told to repay £2,274. |
| Questioning | Questioning |
| The Strangford MP Iris Robinson said her repayment request related to three items, all of which she said she was questioning. | The Strangford MP Iris Robinson said her repayment request related to three items, all of which she said she was questioning. |
| "One relates to the only item of furniture where I believe Sir Thomas has not properly applied the guidelines, one is the identical issue in respect of Peter Robinson (mortgage interest) and the remaining item was for a service charge which was duplicated, but which we believed the amount paid simply reduced a subsequent bill." | "One relates to the only item of furniture where I believe Sir Thomas has not properly applied the guidelines, one is the identical issue in respect of Peter Robinson (mortgage interest) and the remaining item was for a service charge which was duplicated, but which we believed the amount paid simply reduced a subsequent bill." |
| Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson said he had been asked to repay £1,964, in relation to accommodation costs, mobile phone charges and a service charge. | Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson said he had been asked to repay £1,964, in relation to accommodation costs, mobile phone charges and a service charge. |
| IN DETAIL Expenses to be repaid | IN DETAIL Expenses to be repaid |
| William McCrea, DUP, £5,329 | William McCrea, DUP, £5,329 |
| Martin McGuinness, SF, £3,000 | |
| Gregory Campbell, DUP, £2,656 | Gregory Campbell, DUP, £2,656 |
| Iris Robinson, DUP, £2,274 | Iris Robinson, DUP, £2,274 |
| Jeffrey Donaldson, DUP, £1,964 | Jeffrey Donaldson, DUP, £1,964 |
| Sylvia Hermon, UUP, £1,365 | Sylvia Hermon, UUP, £1,365 |
| Ian Paisley, DUP, £1,181 | Ian Paisley, DUP, £1,181 |
| David Simpson, DUP, £400 | David Simpson, DUP, £400 |
| Peter Robinson, DUP, £299 | Peter Robinson, DUP, £299 |
| Mark Durkan, SDLP, £236 | Mark Durkan, SDLP, £236 |
| Former party leader Ian Paisley has been asked for £1,181. | Former party leader Ian Paisley has been asked for £1,181. |
| Upper Bann representative David Simpson has been asked to return £400 in respect of a claim he made for food and party leader Peter Robinson is to repay £229 in relation to mortgage interest. | Upper Bann representative David Simpson has been asked to return £400 in respect of a claim he made for food and party leader Peter Robinson is to repay £229 in relation to mortgage interest. |
| Mr Robinson said there would be "no equivocation or quibbling over any repayment and that all payments should be made immediately". | Mr Robinson said there would be "no equivocation or quibbling over any repayment and that all payments should be made immediately". |
| "Where there are genuine disputes about his provisional conclusions these can be followed up but we will accept entirely Sir Thomas Legg's final determination," he added. | "Where there are genuine disputes about his provisional conclusions these can be followed up but we will accept entirely Sir Thomas Legg's final determination," he added. |
| At the height of the expenses controversy in June Mr Robinson paid back £775 in relation to a claim for a brief case and computer case while at that time his colleague David Simpson returned £1,482. | At the height of the expenses controversy in June Mr Robinson paid back £775 in relation to a claim for a brief case and computer case while at that time his colleague David Simpson returned £1,482. |
| Mr Simpson believes the £400 he has now been asked for has already been repaid is questioning the accuracy of Sir Thomas's recommendation. | Mr Simpson believes the £400 he has now been asked for has already been repaid is questioning the accuracy of Sir Thomas's recommendation. |
| Hotel | Hotel |
| Sinn Fein's Mid Ulster MP Martin McGuinness is giving back an overpayment of £3,000 for two months rent for his London accommodation. | |
| In a statement the party said: "This error was not picked up on at the time either by the Commons Fees Office or by Sinn Fein. | In a statement the party said: "This error was not picked up on at the time either by the Commons Fees Office or by Sinn Fein. |
| "Having had this matter brought to our attention we have immediately taken steps to refund this overpayment. At no time was any money paid directly to Martin McGuinness." | "Having had this matter brought to our attention we have immediately taken steps to refund this overpayment. At no time was any money paid directly to Martin McGuinness." |
| The party's five other MP's have not been asked to make repayments. | The party's five other MP's have not been asked to make repayments. |
| On Tuesday, the SDLP said leader Mark Durkan was recommended to repay £236 relating to overpayment of council tax in 2006 and his wife's share of a London hotel bill. | On Tuesday, the SDLP said leader Mark Durkan was recommended to repay £236 relating to overpayment of council tax in 2006 and his wife's share of a London hotel bill. |
| Mr Durkan said that while some of Sir Thomas's findings seemed petty, close scrutiny of MPs expenses was justified.. | |
| READ THE GUIDANCE NOTE class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/13_10_09_legg.pdf">Sir Thomas Legg's guidance note[436KB] Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. href="http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html">Download the reader here | |
| "Obviously this has happened in the context where there have been outlandish and outrageous claims made and there has been very poor administration | |
| "So an exercise like Thomas Legg has carried out was needed," he said. | "So an exercise like Thomas Legg has carried out was needed," he said. |
| "If that exercise turns out to be excessive in the right direction then we're just going to have to live with that." | "If that exercise turns out to be excessive in the right direction then we're just going to have to live with that." |
| In June Mr Durkan returned £1,124 in relation to a deposit on a flat and an overpayment for a utility bill. | In June Mr Durkan returned £1,124 in relation to a deposit on a flat and an overpayment for a utility bill. |
| The South Belfast MP, Alasdair McDonnell, said he had not been asked to repay any of his claims. | The South Belfast MP, Alasdair McDonnell, said he had not been asked to repay any of his claims. |
| The SDLP MP for South Down, Eddie McGrady, has made no statement so far. | The SDLP MP for South Down, Eddie McGrady, has made no statement so far. |
| UUP MP Lady Sylvia Hermon said she was asked to repay £1,365. | UUP MP Lady Sylvia Hermon said she was asked to repay £1,365. |
| Lady Hermon said she had received a letter about repaying rent on a London flat which had been paid twice in the same month by the Fees Office. | Lady Hermon said she had received a letter about repaying rent on a London flat which had been paid twice in the same month by the Fees Office. |
| "In January 2007, my then landlord increased the rent of the London flat and he also wrote to me asking for the rent to be paid a month in advance," she said. | "In January 2007, my then landlord increased the rent of the London flat and he also wrote to me asking for the rent to be paid a month in advance," she said. |
| "Consequently, there was indeed a double payment of rent by the Fees Office in the month of January, but none was then paid in February." | "Consequently, there was indeed a double payment of rent by the Fees Office in the month of January, but none was then paid in February." |
| Lady Hermon said she would be querying the repayment request. | Lady Hermon said she would be querying the repayment request. |
| In May Lady Hermon repaid £2,700 after being overpaid for rent. | In May Lady Hermon repaid £2,700 after being overpaid for rent. |