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New MPs' expenses claims revealed New MPs' expenses claims revealed
(about 1 hour later)
The latest details of expenses claimed by MPs under the controversial second homes allowance have been published.The latest details of expenses claimed by MPs under the controversial second homes allowance have been published.
The information includes claims made during 2008-9 and in the first three months of 2009-10. Hundreds of thousands of receipts from claims made by MPs from April 2008 to June 2009 have been published.
Individual totals claimed have been published after Tory leader David Cameron urged "full transparency". The claims have not been as heavily blacked out as the previous years' receipts published earlier this year.
The government is also expected to say later it may have to pass new laws to enact key recommendations on MPs' expenses from Sir Christopher Kelly. 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.
Second home 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.
MPs submitted most of the latest receipts to be published long before they knew they would be made public. Simply changing second home designation breaks no rules, and the MPs have not yet had a chance to comment.
Although many of the documents are headed private or confidential the Commons authorities appear to have blacked out less information than when they last published receipts. Other receipts include a council tax reminder received by Foreign Secretary David Miliband for £64.44.
We need to end this damaging year for Parliament by showing once and for all that we get it David Cameron Parliament: MPs' allowances details Q&A: Expenses row
They have also published a grid showing which MPs have changed their second home designation.
These include Conservative MP Douglas Hogg, who became known for a claim which included a receipt for clearing his moat, and Labour's Keith Vaz.
However, simply changing second home designation breaks no rules, and the MPs have not yet had a chance to comment.
Other receipts include the council tax reminder received by 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
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.
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.
Rejected claims 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.
Totals claimed for each MP have yet to be published, but are expected to be published later on Thursday morning. 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.
Details of the claims that MPs have agreed to repay following Sir Thomas Legg's audit of second home claims since 2004 will not be listed. 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.
MPs were recently given more time to appeal against repayment requests by Sir Thomas, with the retired civil servant's final report due to be published early next year. 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 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.
The publication of leaked information by the Daily Telegraph in May about questionable second home claims since 2004 sparked huge public anger and led to a number of MPs saying they would stand down. 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 committee set up to review the system, chaired by Sir Christopher Kelly, recommended sweeping changes to what could be claimed in future - with MPs no longer able to claim mortgage interest on properties or to make claims for gardening or cleaning costs. 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".