MPs Expenses: Watchdog Was 'Partly At Fault' In Cases

Ipsa Mps Expenses

Huffington Post UK   First Posted: 11/10/11 07:14 BST Updated: 11/10/11 11:57 BST

MPs' expenses watchdog Ipsa has published information about 20 members of parliament whose expenses it probed - and revealed that in nearly every case, it was partly at fault.

The news will add more pressure on the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which has been roundly criticised by MPs.

They published investigation details relating to political heavyweights such as Tory deputy chairman Michael Fallon, shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg, Boris Johnson's brother Joseph Johnson, Climate minister Greg Barker, and former Labour minister Alan Johnson.

Also named were: David Anderson, Bob Blackman, Ann Coffey, Robert Halfon, Gordon Henderson, Mark Hendrick, Kwasi Kwarteng, Mar Lancaster, Jim McGovern, Ian Mearns, Michael Alun, Angus Robertson, Henry Smith, Ian Swales and Hywel Williams.

The claims were largely related to MPs' expenses for their personal websites. In each case, Ipsa's compliance officer found the organisation was partly at fault or the amount disputed was minor - and the MP had acted fast to correct the claim.

In another investigation, relating to Conservative MP Peter Aldous's claims for accommodation, Ipsa found that they were partly at fault and that he had acknowledged the error and repaid the body.

In September, a report by the influential public accounts committee found the expenses system for MPs is so inefficient that it costs more to process some claims that the value of the claim itself.

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MPs' expenses watchdog Ipsa has published information about 20 members of parliament whose expenses it probed - and revealed that in nearly every case, it was partly at fault. The news will add mor...
MPs' expenses watchdog Ipsa has published information about 20 members of parliament whose expenses it probed - and revealed that in nearly every case, it was partly at fault. The news will add mor...
 
 
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Daviejohn
All the world's a stage,
02:00 PM on 10/11/2011
These MP's can't seem to grasp that people are sick of them having their noses in the trough and then having the hypocrisy be judgemental on the rest of the population. One of your previous correspondents commented regarding an increase in salary payment, I believe that the position is worth £100K a year because of the responsibility the role holds,but NO expenses whatever.
11:35 AM on 10/11/2011
And behind all these revelations are the plan to revert to the old ways of no regulatory body so our thieving parliamentarians can go back to the old system of unlimited theft, no thank you, and, if its such a hard expensive task to keep an eye on 600 rogues then increase their wages by 30 grand and have them foot their own bills as presently claims of £150,000 per year for almost every one of them is ridiculous on top of an already generous wage of £66000, none are worth the money.
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Lawyer13
retired Lawyer, General and Psychiatric Nurse, wit
11:13 AM on 10/11/2011
Well at least they have had the grace to admit their fault, but I also understand that some M.P.'s claims cost more to process than the amount being claimed.
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06:46 PM on 10/11/2011
"...I also understand that some M.P.'s claims cost more to process than the amount being claimed....".

And that's fine by me if it means their expenses are continuing to be scrutinized ..