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| MP denies £20K bell tower claim | |
| (11 minutes later) | |
| Defence minister Quentin Davies has denied trying to claim on expenses the £20,700 cost of rebuilding a bell tower at his constituency home. | |
| Mr Davies, who defected from the Tories to Labour in 2007, was paid £5,376 by the Commons fees office. | |
| He later wrote to the fees office to say he "emphatically" denied trying to claim for the bell tower repairs. | |
| It comes as the Commons releases fresh expenses details including claims for a hamburger maker and garlic peelers. | |
| Labour MP Phil Hope claimed the £2 hamburger maker amongst kitchen items, while Tory MP James Arbuthnot claimed £43.56 for three "four piece garlic peelers" from shopping channel QVC. | |
| The hundreds of thousands of receipts cover April 2008 to July 2009. | |
| The claims made under the controversial second homes allowance have been published by the House of Commons but have not been as heavily blacked out as the previous years' receipts published in June. | |
| The receipts show ex-home secretary Jacqui Smith claimed a £555 TV, while moat claim MP Douglas Hogg claimed for a £20 toaster and £2.99 rubbish bags. | The receipts show ex-home secretary Jacqui Smith claimed a £555 TV, while moat claim MP Douglas Hogg claimed for a £20 toaster and £2.99 rubbish bags. |
| WHERE TO FIND THE DOCUMENTS The documents are published on Parliament's website Each MP's expenses dating back to 2004 are gathered together by nameThe new documents are headed "Personal Additional Accommodation Expenditure 2009-2010" and "Additional Cost Allowance 2008-09" Guide to the new documents | WHERE TO FIND THE DOCUMENTS The documents are published on Parliament's website Each MP's expenses dating back to 2004 are gathered together by nameThe new documents are headed "Personal Additional Accommodation Expenditure 2009-2010" and "Additional Cost Allowance 2008-09" Guide to the new documents |
| Mr Hogg, along with Labour MP Keith Vaz, is also among the list of MPs who changed the designation of their second home for allowance purposes. | Mr Hogg, along with Labour MP Keith Vaz, is also among the list of MPs who changed the designation of their second home for allowance purposes. |
| Simply changing second home designation breaks no rules, and the MPs have not yet had a chance to comment. | Simply changing second home designation breaks no rules, and the MPs have not yet had a chance to comment. |
| Sir Peter Viggers, whose duck house claim was one of the most notable revelations of the earlier expenses publications, claimed £115 to pay a firm who are "specialists in bird proofing/cleaning". | |
| Sir Peter, who is stepping down at the election, had a claim for £10,526 knocked down to £299.16 with the explanation "spoken to Sir Peter, not appropriate to claim interest on increased borrowing taken to free equity of house. Agreed to reimburse interest equivalent to borrowing". | |
| He also claimed £699.75 for manufacture and supply of box shutters for a window. | |
| Sir Peter told the BBC: "I have always consulted the fees office and taken their advice." | |
| Other receipts include a number of council tax reminders - including to Foreign Secretary David Miliband for £64.44. | |
| Commons Speaker John Bercow claimed £22,465.49 in second home allowances in 2008-9 for mortgage interest, council tax, gas, electricity and cleaning. | Commons Speaker John Bercow claimed £22,465.49 in second home allowances in 2008-9 for mortgage interest, council tax, gas, electricity and cleaning. |
| Second home | Second home |
| There is just one claim from him for the first quarter of 2009-10 which is £500 for utilities. | There is just one claim from him for the first quarter of 2009-10 which is £500 for utilities. |
| Mr Bercow said he would no longer claim the allowance once he was elected Speaker - a job which comes with a grand apartment in Parliament - in June. | Mr Bercow said he would no longer claim the allowance once he was elected Speaker - a job which comes with a grand apartment in Parliament - in June. |
| Other details revealed include Prime Minister Gordon Brown claiming £500 for the repainting of a "summer house" in his garden. Downing Street said the PM has already repaid the money. | Other details revealed include Prime Minister Gordon Brown claiming £500 for the repainting of a "summer house" in his garden. Downing Street said the PM has already repaid the money. |
| Conservative leader David Cameron claimed £20,240.15 in 2008/09 and £3,066.91 for the period covered in 2009/10. | Conservative leader David Cameron claimed £20,240.15 in 2008/09 and £3,066.91 for the period covered in 2009/10. |
| There is also a note from a gardener to Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg. | There is also a note from a gardener to Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg. |
| "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. | "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 claimed £760 for the repair of a garden path but has said he would pay back any profit he makes on his constituency home when he sells it. | Mr Clegg claimed £760 for the repair of a garden path but has said he would pay back any profit he makes on his constituency home when he sells it. |
| Poole MP Robert Syms had £359 for a bunk bed rejected with the explanation "living costs for any one other than yourself are not permitted." | |
| Second home rules | |
| The period covered by the latest receipts came at a time when MPs knew that at least some details of their expenses claims were to be published under Freedom of Information rules. | The period covered by the latest receipts came at a time when MPs knew that at least some details of their expenses claims were to be published under Freedom of Information rules. |
| But the vast majority of them predate the uproar over expenses prompted by the leaked details of claims since 2004 published by the Daily Telegraph in May. | But the vast majority of them predate the uproar over expenses prompted by the leaked details of claims since 2004 published by the Daily Telegraph in May. |
| Those revelations led to a host of MPs announcing they would stand down and a revamp of the entire expenses system being drawn up by Sir Christopher Kelly. | Those revelations led to a host of MPs announcing they would stand down and a revamp of the entire expenses system being drawn up by Sir Christopher Kelly. |
| There was also an audit of all claims since 2004 carried out by Sir Thomas Legg, which is in the process of deciding how much MPs should pay back from the money claimed. | There was also an audit of all claims since 2004 carried out by Sir Thomas Legg, which is in the process of deciding how much MPs should pay back from the money claimed. |
| Hundreds of MPs, including the three main UK party leaders, have already agreed to repay sums totalling thousands of pounds from the claims since 2004. | Hundreds of MPs, including the three main UK party leaders, have already agreed to repay sums totalling thousands of pounds from the claims since 2004. |
| MPs from outside of central London were entitled to claim up to £24,006 in 2008/9 for the cost of having a second home - for things like mortgages interest payments and utility bills, but also for things like a second set of cutlery or televisions and furniture. | MPs from outside of central London were entitled to claim up to £24,006 in 2008/9 for the cost of having a second home - for things like mortgages interest payments and utility bills, but also for things like a second set of cutlery or televisions and furniture. |
| A second home was deemed necessary because MPs have to attend Parliament at Westminster but also live in, or have a base in, their constituency. | A second home was deemed necessary because MPs have to attend Parliament at Westminster but also live in, or have a base in, their constituency. |
| All MPs had to sign a declaration with every claim to the effect that "I confirm that I incurred these costs wholly, exclusively and necessarily to enable me to stay overnight away from my only or main home for the purpose of performing my duties as a Member of Parliament". | All MPs had to sign a declaration with every claim to the effect that "I confirm that I incurred these costs wholly, exclusively and necessarily to enable me to stay overnight away from my only or main home for the purpose of performing my duties as a Member of Parliament". |
| Spotted anything interesting in your MP's expenses? Tell us using the form below. | Spotted anything interesting in your MP's expenses? Tell us using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |