Publication of claims from Parliamentary allowances
Posted by Mike Wood, MP for Batley and Spen, at 07:00, Fri 22 May 2009:
The House of Commons was due to publish MPs’ claims for the last four years in July. Given the public interest in the matter I have decided to publish mine in full today. I do this based on my belief that I have nothing to hide.
All the claims I make are to support the work I do as MP for Batley and Spen, this includes contributions towards maintaining a second home (a flat in Lambeth) for the three to four days a week I am in London. Aside from what amounts to mortgage interest I have also claimed for repairs, modest furnishing and general upkeep over the last 11 years.
Funds from allowances have never found their way in to my ‘back pocket’ and I have never sought to live a lavish lifestyle at taxpayers' expense. I have never 'flipped' my homes (ie moved house making a profit each time). I have always been based in Batley and have never claimed Parliamentary allowances for anything other than my flat in London.
The blocked out areas in the documents do not hide purchases or expenditure, but are to protect sensitive information such as bank account numbers, addresses and telephone numbers.
I will be more than happy to respond to questions or comments from my constituents about the allowances. I will not respond to any comments made anonymously.
Regards,
Mike Wood MP
Comments
Commenting on this message is now disabled.
Posted by Derrek Cartwright BA (Hons), 07:28, Fri 22 May 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
This should make interesting reading.
On the surface it looks as there is at least one honest MP. That is as long as no family member is in the staffing costs, but I don't see that statement. (I don't think that is now acceptable.)
What we don't see is an explanation why his office cost have doubled. Indeed, as per Brown's statement the figures are only for the last few years, so you don't see the costs doubling in the shown figures.
It is just a shame this was not done weeks ago!
One question honest MP's have to answer is were they aware of the abuses that were going on, & if so why did they not make the abuses known.
Derek
Posted by Stewart McArdle, 08:36, Fri 22 May 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
I agree with Derek/Derrek Cartwright completely - if MPs knew these abuses were going on then more questions need answering. Although Mike Wood is quoted in the Batley News today saying he only knew what was in his and that he was as surprised as anyone else by what the Telegraph has unearthed. For information, he also says family members have never been on the payroll.
It's nice to see - looking at the info and reading the paper's analysis - that we do indeed seem to have an honest MP.
Stewart McArdle - Birstall