John Bercow the “new” speaker who has pledged to reform Parliament has chaired a committee to allow MPs to claim up to £9000 each year without providing receipts.
Also on the committee were Mr Duncan and Miss Harman .
Also on the committee were Mr Duncan and Miss Harman .
Both MPs have publicly stated that it is unacceptable for expense claims to be paid without receipts. Miss Harman said in the spring: “There would need to be receipts for all claims. I really do think that that is something sensible which we could decide for ourselves now.”
Mr Duncan previously said: “The second home allowance was often just paid once a month without receipts, which is an unacceptable system in the modern age.”
Gordon Brown and David Cameron both pledged to clean up the system of parliamentary expenses. Mr Bercow had campaigned to replace Michael Martin by promising reform.
However, the new rules state that “no receipts are necessary” for the subsistence payments and that it is “for members to decide” how the money is spent.
MPs will simply have to state how many nights they have spent away from their main home “on parliamentary business” to receive the flat-rate sum. There is no way for the information to be independently verified.
The allowance, which is almost double the previous £4,800-a-year limit for unreceipted claims, is paid on top of expenses for mortgage interest, rent, council tax and utility bills.
The £25-a-night “subsistence” allowance is payable when staying away from their designated main home.
The new green book was issued to MPs on July 13, just before the Summer Recess.
The House of Commons, Miss Harman and the Tories declined to comment.
Nice to see the reforms making a difference.
Angus
Angus Dei on all and sundry
Angus Dei-NHS-THE OTHER SIDE
Mr Duncan previously said: “The second home allowance was often just paid once a month without receipts, which is an unacceptable system in the modern age.”
Gordon Brown and David Cameron both pledged to clean up the system of parliamentary expenses. Mr Bercow had campaigned to replace Michael Martin by promising reform.
However, the new rules state that “no receipts are necessary” for the subsistence payments and that it is “for members to decide” how the money is spent.
MPs will simply have to state how many nights they have spent away from their main home “on parliamentary business” to receive the flat-rate sum. There is no way for the information to be independently verified.
The allowance, which is almost double the previous £4,800-a-year limit for unreceipted claims, is paid on top of expenses for mortgage interest, rent, council tax and utility bills.
The £25-a-night “subsistence” allowance is payable when staying away from their designated main home.
The new green book was issued to MPs on July 13, just before the Summer Recess.
The House of Commons, Miss Harman and the Tories declined to comment.
Nice to see the reforms making a difference.
Angus
Angus Dei on all and sundry
Angus Dei-NHS-THE OTHER SIDE
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