'Little Respect' For Expenses Account MPs

A pressure group that claims to speak for taxpayers has accused MPs of being too greedy.

The comments come on foot of revelations about the level of expenses claimed by Westminster MPs.

Shahid Malik, the Labour MP for Dewsbury, who is also the International Development Minister, submitted the biggest overall claim of £185,421, including £21,266 on postage.

The lowest claim was by Conservative Philip Hollobone, MP for Kettering, who claimed £44,551, followed by veteran Labour left-winger Dennis Skinner with £67,891.

Commenting, a Tax Payers' Alliance pressure group spokesman said MPs should be "ashamed" at the scale of the claims.

The group's Chief Executive, Matthew Elliott said: "No wonder voters have little respect for politicians when they see so many MPs with their snouts in the trough."

The figures cover everything from office and staff costs, to computer equipment, travel expenses, a home in London and postage bills.

They can use the so-called "additional cost allowance" of up to £21,634 to buy a London home at public expense - opting for interest-only mortgages to cut their own repayment costs.

However, the Commons authorities insist the overall bill to the taxpayer is no higher than if those MPs used the allowance to pay rent or hotel bills.

Overall, the expenses bill rose by nearly three times the rate of inflation last year.

Other surprises have been uncovered regionally too, with North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds revealed as Northern Ireland's most expensive MP - claiming £151,412 in allowances.

The DUP MP ran up a bill 11.5% higher than the House of Commons average of £135,850 in the 12 months to March this year, ranking him 72nd highest spending MP in the UK.

However, a Sinn Fein politician, Michelle Gildernew racked up more claims than four DUP MPs put together, despite not taking her Westminster seat, according to the report.

The Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP leapt dramatically up the table from 642 last year to 383 in 06/07 after claiming £138,779 compared to £40,898.

The big surprise was that her bill was even higher than that of Northern Ireland Secretary of State, MP Shaun Woodward.

Sinn Fein party colleague, Assembly Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness was in 244th place, claiming £141,790, which again was surprisingly high for an MP who doesn't attend Westminster sittings especially as the sum was higher than his N I Assembly colleague, First Minister Ian Paisley, who spent £136,498, but does attend Westminster.

(BMcC)