MPs Expenses Revealed - 2010/2011

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority today published the expenses for all MPs from May-August 2010 as part of a drive by Parliament to make our representatives more accountable to their constituents. It was established after the expenses scandal which undermined Parliament in 2009.

IPSA is an independent body which oversee the system and salaries for Members of Parliament. It is accountable to Parliament but is independently monitored.

The full report on each of the Medway MPs can be accessed at the MP Expenses website

From May 2010 - November 2010 the expenses of our MPs are as follows:

Chatham & Aylesford - Tracey Crouch MP - £6,319

Gillingham & Rainham - Rehman Chisthi - £4,758

Rochester & Strood - Mark Reckless MP - £0

It is surprising to see that Mark Reckless MP is one of a very small number of MPs who have not claimed for any expenses. It raises the question about how he is funding his office, given the fact that he has not submitted any receipt for stationary, staffing or office space.

Tracey Crouch MP on the other hand seems to be more expensive than the average Conservative MP, who claimed £6,074. Her largest expense was noted on shared staffing. Would be interesting to note if this was contracted out staffing or whether these are permanent employee costs.

Overall, MPs claimed £3.1m in expenses in the first four months after the general election, including £172,709 on hotels

The highest claimer overall was Keith Simpson, the Conservative MP for Mid Norfolk, who was reimbursed £20,752, followed by Craig Whittaker, the Tory MP for Calder Valley (£18,297.71), and Andrew Bingham, the Conservative MP for High Peak in Derbyshire (£17,348.24)

The smallest individual claim lodged was by Pete Wishart, the SNP MP for Perth & North Perthshire, who claimed 14p mileage, while the biggest single claim published today was made by Labour MP and former government whip Siobhain McDonagh, who spent £9,003 on "bought in office management".

Today's published expenses also show David Cameron claimed £2,408.75 for research services, Bob Russell claimed £82.13 for toilet paper for his constituency office, and the Labour MP Gloria De Piero, an ex-GMTV presenter, claimed £1 for some cleaning gloves from Netto.

Today's figures show the bill for MPs to run constituency and Westminster offices, and for many to run second homes, appears to have shrunk significantly compared with the previous system. A welcome development.

The £3.1m cost for the first four months, which includes the summer break and excludes the biggest bill covering staff salaries, compares with a £96m bill for the whole of last year. It is clear that despite the moans from MPs, the system is cutting costs, and at a time of austerity you will not see any members of the public complaining.