O/T Geraldine's Expenses
Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 10:32 pmSo MP's expenses have been released. The BBC has kindly put them all on line for us to have a nosey at...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp/hi ... ml/412.stm
A big expenses claim for whoever purchased the black marker pen...
In another thread, Posh took me to task for using the highest amount that Geraldine claimed for food...
...and he was right to do so, Geraldine only claimed £400 a month twenty-seven times in thirty-six months (although even MP's can't claim food while they are on holiday can they?). Geraldine did try and claim £450 twice in the early days, although on the second occasion it was pointed out that £400 a month is the maximum allowed.
It is a bit confusing to try and follow, especially because they aren't always in chronological order. I started to enter details in to a spread sheet so I could follow it. What is confusing...
AND I'M NOT FOR ONE MOMENT SUGGESTING IT'S INAPPROPRIATE ...simply that I don't know how it works,
...but it appears that MP's can claim up to £250 per month for "Miscellaneous Expenses" which don't appear to need justifying. But they also appear to be able to claim that amount per month for both 'Incidental Expenses' claims as well as 'Additional Cost Allowances claims'. So that's up to £500 each month that doesn't need justifying? Thus Geraldine claimed £5210 during 2004/05 without saying where it went. If this is taken as an average, then MP's are claiming more than £3,365,000 each year without producing a solitary receipt! Given that expenses claims for newspapers, stationary, phone calls, TV Licence, cleaning, printer cartridges, pictures, bedding, lights, towels, kitchen equipment, stamps, curtains, Data Protection registration and food are just some of the things identified in normal claims, it would be interesting to find out what the other £500 a month is used for
Of course there may be a simple explanation that I'm not aware of?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp/hi ... ml/412.stm
A big expenses claim for whoever purchased the black marker pen...
In another thread, Posh took me to task for using the highest amount that Geraldine claimed for food...
Posh wrote:Keith wrote:She estimated between £100 and £400 per month claimed "for food". I wonder how many working people spend £400 a month on food, especially those who have a subsidised canteen at work? In fact, I wonder how many 'poor families' that Labour was supposed to be supporting, have to survive on less than £400 on food a month?
I don't like defending Geraldine. However the figure quoted is between £100 and £400 a month, so you've automatically used the higher figure. A tad unfair.
However, even if it is at the upper end, as has been reported with other MPs, this figure does include expenses for taking people for lunch or dinner. Is it unreasonable to say that Geraldine, in the course of her constituency work, may take a visiting Morecambrian official for lunch?
...and he was right to do so, Geraldine only claimed £400 a month twenty-seven times in thirty-six months (although even MP's can't claim food while they are on holiday can they?). Geraldine did try and claim £450 twice in the early days, although on the second occasion it was pointed out that £400 a month is the maximum allowed.
It is a bit confusing to try and follow, especially because they aren't always in chronological order. I started to enter details in to a spread sheet so I could follow it. What is confusing...
AND I'M NOT FOR ONE MOMENT SUGGESTING IT'S INAPPROPRIATE ...simply that I don't know how it works,
...but it appears that MP's can claim up to £250 per month for "Miscellaneous Expenses" which don't appear to need justifying. But they also appear to be able to claim that amount per month for both 'Incidental Expenses' claims as well as 'Additional Cost Allowances claims'. So that's up to £500 each month that doesn't need justifying? Thus Geraldine claimed £5210 during 2004/05 without saying where it went. If this is taken as an average, then MP's are claiming more than £3,365,000 each year without producing a solitary receipt! Given that expenses claims for newspapers, stationary, phone calls, TV Licence, cleaning, printer cartridges, pictures, bedding, lights, towels, kitchen equipment, stamps, curtains, Data Protection registration and food are just some of the things identified in normal claims, it would be interesting to find out what the other £500 a month is used for
Of course there may be a simple explanation that I'm not aware of?
