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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| 'Half of MPs' to repay expenses | 'Half of MPs' to repay expenses |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| MPs can expect a fresh attack on their reputations when the man assigned by Gordon Brown to audit their expenses publishes his final report. | MPs can expect a fresh attack on their reputations when the man assigned by Gordon Brown to audit their expenses publishes his final report. |
| Sir Thomas Legg will criticise MPs for establishing a "culture of deference", making it difficult for officials to query or challenge their claims. | Sir Thomas Legg will criticise MPs for establishing a "culture of deference", making it difficult for officials to query or challenge their claims. |
| About 350 MPs are expected to have been asked to repay claims totalling £1m. | About 350 MPs are expected to have been asked to repay claims totalling £1m. |
| But sources suggest Sir Thomas' methods will be called into question by the senior judge considering MPs' appeals. | But sources suggest Sir Thomas' methods will be called into question by the senior judge considering MPs' appeals. |
| More repayments | More repayments |
| Sir Thomas was asked at the height of the expenses furore last year to audit all claims for second homes made between 2004-2008. | Sir Thomas was asked at the height of the expenses furore last year to audit all claims for second homes made between 2004-2008. |
| It followed the revelation some MPs "flipped" the property they called their second home to maximise claims, as well as seeking taxpayers' cash to pay for things such as a duck house, garlic peelers and widescreen TVs. | |
| EXPENSES: THE STORY SO FAR MPs are allowed to claim expenses for running a second home but there was much uproar in May when receipts and details of claims were leaked to the Daily Telegraph.Among them were expensive TVs and furniture. MPs also claimed for more than one property by "flipping" the designated second home while over-claimed for mortgages or services. Many MPs have announced they will be standing down, some have already repaid claims in response to constituents' anger.Sir Thomas Legg was asked to audit all claims made between 2004 and 2008 - today we get his report and the totals he thinks MPs should repay. Separately, a consultation is under way on a new expenses system for MPs. Q&A: MPs' expenses row explained | |
| The Legg report being published at 1000 GMT will list the amount each MP has been asked to pay back. | The Legg report being published at 1000 GMT will list the amount each MP has been asked to pay back. |
| Sir Thomas is expected to say in his report there was a "culture of deference" at the Commons Fees Office - the body which oversaw the widely criticised system - and MPs' claims were rarely challenged or refused. | Sir Thomas is expected to say in his report there was a "culture of deference" at the Commons Fees Office - the body which oversaw the widely criticised system - and MPs' claims were rarely challenged or refused. |
| Gordon Brown has urged MPs to pay up and said he would consider withdrawing the whip from those Labour MPs who did not comply with Sir Thomas Legg's judgement. | Gordon Brown has urged MPs to pay up and said he would consider withdrawing the whip from those Labour MPs who did not comply with Sir Thomas Legg's judgement. |
| Conservative leader David Cameron warned Tory MPs who refused they may not be allowed to stand again, while Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said the audit did not go far enough and should be widened. | Conservative leader David Cameron warned Tory MPs who refused they may not be allowed to stand again, while Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said the audit did not go far enough and should be widened. |
| Over the years looked at by Sir Thomas Legg MPs were allowed to claim up to about £24,000 a year for the cost of having a second home, which members need because they need a home in the constituency they represent and also one near Westminster where they must attend Parliament. | Over the years looked at by Sir Thomas Legg MPs were allowed to claim up to about £24,000 a year for the cost of having a second home, which members need because they need a home in the constituency they represent and also one near Westminster where they must attend Parliament. |
| Fresh appeal | |
| The allowance covered claims for things such as mortgage interest, rent and also furnishings but there were no published limits placed on how much could be spent on particular items. | The allowance covered claims for things such as mortgage interest, rent and also furnishings but there were no published limits placed on how much could be spent on particular items. |
| Instead MPs signed a declaration with each claim saying "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". | Instead MPs signed a declaration with each claim saying "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". |
| SUCCESSFUL EXPENSES APPEALS Jeremy Browne (Lib Dem, Taunton) - £17,894.24 in mortgage interestAnn Cryer (Labour, Keighley) - a "substantial demand". But will repay £1,600 for household itemsPatrick Hall (Labour, Bedford) - £260 in parliamentary expensesMartyn Jones (Labour, Clwyd South) - £1,100 in rentRoger Gale (Tory, Thanet North) - £2,470 in rent and phone billsFrank Field (Labour, Birkenhead) - repayment reduced by £3,000David Clelland (Labour, Tyne Bridge) - undisclosed sumCharles Clarke (Labour, Norwich South) - £750 in mortgage paymentsBernard Jenkin (Tory, North Essex) - repayment reduced by about £27,000 Profile: Sir Thomas Legg | |
| Sir Thomas sent out initial letters to MPs in October detailing how much he thought should be repaid but many were annoyed that he chose to impose retrospective limits on claims that the Commons Fees office had allowed. | Sir Thomas sent out initial letters to MPs in October detailing how much he thought should be repaid but many were annoyed that he chose to impose retrospective limits on claims that the Commons Fees office had allowed. |
| He says MPs should not have claimed more than £2,000 a year for cleaning and £1,000 a year for gardening. | He says MPs should not have claimed more than £2,000 a year for cleaning and £1,000 a year for gardening. |
| As a result the Members' Estimate Committee - a body of MPs which traditionally oversees the rules on expenses and allowances - allowed MPs to appeal against Sir Thomas's ruling before his report was published. | As a result the Members' Estimate Committee - a body of MPs which traditionally oversees the rules on expenses and allowances - allowed MPs to appeal against Sir Thomas's ruling before his report was published. |
| In December they asked former Court of Appeal judge Sir Paul Kennedy to hear those appeals - and told those who were unsuccessful on appeal must pay up or face having their pay docked. | In December they asked former Court of Appeal judge Sir Paul Kennedy to hear those appeals - and told those who were unsuccessful on appeal must pay up or face having their pay docked. |
| About 70 MPs are thought to have appealed and 19 contacted by the BBC said they had either won their appeals or had the amount they were asked to repay reduced. | About 70 MPs are thought to have appealed and 19 contacted by the BBC said they had either won their appeals or had the amount they were asked to repay reduced. |
| Among them was Conservative Bernard Jenkin, who had been asked to repay £63,250 - the highest amount known - after renting his second home from his sister-in-law. This practice was banned in 2006. He has said his repayment has been reduced to £36,250. | Among them was Conservative Bernard Jenkin, who had been asked to repay £63,250 - the highest amount known - after renting his second home from his sister-in-law. This practice was banned in 2006. He has said his repayment has been reduced to £36,250. |
| Sir Thomas angered MPs by imposing retrospective limits on some claims | |
| Labour MPs expect Sir Paul, who is also publishing his report into the appeals process, to question the way Sir Thomas retrospectively applied new rules to MPs' expenses. | Labour MPs expect Sir Paul, who is also publishing his report into the appeals process, to question the way Sir Thomas retrospectively applied new rules to MPs' expenses. |
| Alongside Sir Thomas' report, a full list of repayments made since April 2009 - the month before the expenses scandal broke when details of claims made were published by the Daily Telegraph - will be released. | Alongside Sir Thomas' report, a full list of repayments made since April 2009 - the month before the expenses scandal broke when details of claims made were published by the Daily Telegraph - will be released. |
| This is expected to include repayments made voluntarily by MPs in the face of public anger, those demanded by party leaders, those requested by Sir Thomas Legg and other repayments made privately by MPs after complaints were resolved informally by standards commissioner John Lyon. | This is expected to include repayments made voluntarily by MPs in the face of public anger, those demanded by party leaders, those requested by Sir Thomas Legg and other repayments made privately by MPs after complaints were resolved informally by standards commissioner John Lyon. |
| More details of expenses claims for 2008-9 and the first quarter of 2009-10 are also due to be published on Thursday. | More details of expenses claims for 2008-9 and the first quarter of 2009-10 are also due to be published on Thursday. |
| Second homes claims for 2008-9 were published in December but Thursday's publication will include remaining expenses such as travel, communications and office allowances. | Second homes claims for 2008-9 were published in December but Thursday's publication will include remaining expenses such as travel, communications and office allowances. |