Yorkshire Post: Husband and wife MPs in spotlight over expenses

YORKSHIRE'S husband-and-wife Ministerial team Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper came under the expenses spotlight last night after it was revealed that they claimed £32,000 in allowances to fund their London home last year.

Mr Balls, the Schools Secretary, and Ms Cooper, the Housing Minister, whose combined Ministerial salaries come to nearly £240,000, also emerged as the two members of the current Cabinet who registered the highest amounts in 2006-07.

According to the latest report on MPs expenses, published last night, Normanton MP Mr Balls claimed £157,076 in Parliamentary allowances - including £15,979 towards staying away from their main home in Castleford - in addition to his salary.

Pontefract and Castleford MP Ms Cooper claimed a total of £150,658, including £15,995 towards mortgage payments on their London residence.

MPs with seats outside central London can claim up to £22,100 in second home allowances and the couple made separate claims on their one house in the capital.

But a spokesman for the couple stressed that they had abided by the rules and could have claimed more.   

"Ed and Yvette claim far less than they are entitled to under the rules, as the maximum between them is around £44,000," he said.

MPs can recoup a huge range of expenditures. As well as rent and mortgage payments, the second home allowance also covers furniture, electrical goods, council tax, utility bills and TV licences. Even groceries are covered.

Up to £20,440 a year is available for incidental expenses and up to £87,276 for staff in London and the MPs' constituencies.   

Last night, the chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) , Matthew Elliott, said MPs "should be ashamed of themselves" at the total £87m bill to the public purse.   

He added: "Families are struggling to pay higher tax bills while MPs are spending more and more of our money on themselves each year.

"What's worse is that they won't even give us a full itemised breakdown of their expenses as MSPs do in Scotland.   

"No wonder voters have little respect for politicians when they see so many MPs with their snouts in the trough."   

But Selby MP John Grogan - the highest claiming Yorkshire MP in 2003-04, the second highest in 2004-05 and again the highest in 2005-06 - last night defended the expenditure, maintaining that being an active and effective MP meant using allowances.

"I continue to travel frequently backwards and forwards between Selby and London to attend as many meetings as possible in the constituency whilst playing a full part as an active backbench MP at Westminster," said Mr Grogan, who claimed £158,013 last year.

"In recent months constituency meetings have included many sessions on flooding, the future of the Tate and Lyle site and Selby Hospital.

"In addition to receiving my Parliamentary allowances I paid in an extra £4,000 of my salary in order that my office has the resources necessary to respond to the many demands placed upon it."

Liberal Democrat MP Nick Harvey, who represents the House of Commons Members Estimate Committee, insisted that British taxpayers got "excellent value for money" for their representatives compared with other countries.

WHAT MPs CAN CLAIM   

£60,277 standard backbencher salary, and pension.   

Additional cost allowance   

Last year allowed to claim up to £22,110 towards a second home in the capital: could be spent on rent, mortgage interest or hotel bills.

Ministers with "grace and favour" homes may also have second home, but must prove that they use it. Back costs for groceries, furniture, white goods, electrical equipment, utility bills, council tax, "decoration" and TV licences if incurred in London. Do not have to provide receipts for purchases under £250.

Incidental expenses   

Up to £20,440 a year for constituency office rental and maintenance costs, office supplies and equipment, utilities, repairs, postage from the constituency, and newspaper subscriptions.

But cannot claim for camcorders.   

Staffing allowance   

£87,276 a year for secretarial and research staff in the constituency and Commons offices. Individual MPs decide where to locate their staff and how much to pay them.

Travel   

Unlimited first class travel within the UK and car mileage of 40p per mile, for parliamentary business. May also claim 24p a mile for motorbike travel and 20p per mile for bicycle travel.

They can also claim for three trips a year in Europe, if destination has a parliament.   

Spouses and close family members also entitled to a   

total of 15 return journeys between the constituency and London.   

n Other costs   

MPs' staff travel costs, special House of Commons stationery and postage. Also allowed three computers and a laptop.