John Prescott Spending Spree In Australia

John Prescott Spending Spree

Former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott's private office spent hundreds of pounds of taxpayers' money in a casino in Australia, it has been disclosed.

Documents released by the Department for Communities and Local Government show a government credit card was used to spend £456 at the Star City casino, £490 at a seafood restaurant and £75 at an aquarium during a visit to Sydney in 2004.

The figures were revealed as ministers prepared for the release of details of spending on departmental Government Procurement Cards (GPCs) - charge cards used by staff to make small-scale purchases.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said more stringent controls on use of the cards - including a crackdown on first-class travel - had resulted in a £45 million reduction in the amount spent over the first year of the coalition Government.

And new restrictions limiting civil service bonuses to only the top 25% performers have reaped a further £15 million since April this year.

Lord Prescott told the Daily Telegraph he had never had a Government credit card and was surprised at the spending by his officials, but believed it must have been to cover food and drink during a visit to Australia to study the relaxation of casino licensing laws.

But housing minister Grant Shapps said it showed "a cavalier attitude to the public purse" under the Labour government. Under reforms introduced by the coalition, all transactions above £500 made on departmental GPCs from April this year will be made public.

Mr Maude said: "We inherited an unprecedented deficit and are doing all we can to address waste and increase scrutiny on Government expenditure.

"We need to be able show taxpayers that every penny we spend is being used efficiently and we must open up our books so people can see for themselves where their money is going. Transparent government is absolutely essential to restoring people's trust in the political system."

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