Robinson Couple's £30k Food Expenses Claim In Focus

Northern Ireland's husband and wife parliamentary duo, Stormont First Minister Peter and Iris Robinson (pictured), claimed almost £30,000 for food expenses over a four year period, it has been revealed.

However, Mr Robinson has rejected the recent public criticism of some House Of Commons expenses, claiming certain people would still not be content if "MPs slept on a park bench and starved themselves".

Today's leak in the Daily Telegraph also revealed the married MPs claimed back £2,000 per month in mortgage interest payments between 2004 and 2008.

Ascerting all the claims made on the family's London apartment were legitimate, Mr Robinson did acknowledge the expenses procedure needs reformed.

"There's a world of difference between those who legitimately claim within the rules and those who are clearly operating outside the rules," he said.

"I'd be pretty sure that the amount that I actually spend would be more than that for which I have claimed."

Under the 'Green Book', which lays out current parliamentary rules on expenses, MPs can claim up to £400 per month for food bills.

The East Belfast MP criticised the Telegraph for adding together both his and Mrs Robinson's claims.

He said the paper had "bunched the claims of my wife and I together" and given a total over four years in order to arrive at a high figure for the food expenses.

According the report, the couple also claimed £1,200 for service charges on their London flat at the end of March 2007.

But Mr Robinson's submission was rejected by the expenses commission in what he described as an "honest error" after he was told that Strangford MP Mrs Robinson had already submitted a claim for the same charges.

"Over all the years there was one inadvertent claim prepared by the person who prepared the claims and it was because both claims were put in the same envelope and sent to the House of Commons," said Mr Robinson.

"It was obviously something that would be spotted and happily it was," he said.

The couple also claimed around £5,000 for five months' mortgage interest payments, which was refused as no mortgage interest statements had been submitted to back up the claim.

It is unclear from documents whether the money was ever paid or whether the statements were submitted.

Mr Robinson said all the claims were submitted consistent with House of Commons rules and after Fees Office advice.

(PR/BMcC)