freedom of information.co.uk

October 21st 2004

Details of £130,00 average annual expenses claim by MPs are to be made public for the first time.  The move comes amid pressure for greater openness at Westminster ahead of ahead of the Freedom of Information Act, which comes into force in January next year.

The move has been sanctioned by the House of Commons Commission, which is responsible for the running the Palace of Westminster.  Commission spokesman and Liberal Democrat MP Sir Archy Kirkwood said the initiative should help stamp out abuse of the expenses system by the UK's 659 MPs.  Describing it as a ''significant step,' he added 'I don't think we should be defensive about this,' but he acknowledged that the short-term outcome might be a dip in public trust.

On top of their £57,485 annual salaries, MPs are also able to claim £66,458 to pay for office staff (£77,534 if their constituency is in London), £20,902 for running a second home in either their constituency or London, and £19,325 to rent and equip their constituency office.  In addition they are allowed to claim travel expenses, including first class rail fares to their constituencies and fifteen free rail journeys for their staff.  Including salaries, the total annual cost to the tax payer is £130 million.  The expenses claims are self-certified and there are no independent checks.

The Freedom of Information Act gives the public the right of access held by over 100,000 public authorities.  Although much information relating to Parliament is legally exempt from disclosure, any attempts by MPs to block disclosure of their expenses claims are likely to have been regarded by the public as hypocritical.