The Parliamentary Expenses of Northern Ireland MPs.

The Home Sectretary, Jacqui Smith, is having a rough time facing an investigation over her expenses claims.   She is not the first Politician to face such scrutiny.  She will not be the last. 

Meanwhile, I produce the data for 2008 relating to the expense claims of Northern Ireland MPs.  The data makes interesting reading.

 

		A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	Total
G. Adams	SF	21131	21273	90278	85	218	1329	0	0	£134,314
G. Campbell	DUP	23083	5421	80112	291	1325	1362	0	0	£111,594
Nigel Dodds	DUP	22992	29812	74351	1118	4052	1301	0	10111	£143,737
Pat Doherty	SF	21000	21293	87083	210	622	1300	0	0	£131,508
J. Donaldson	DUP	20342	20758	89492	1169	3176	982	0	5360	£141,279
Mark Durkan	SDLP	20796	21882	85326	237	545	1199	0	6841	£136,826
M. Gildernew	SF	21000	21158	90506	111	519	1378	0	0	£134,672
S. Hermon	UUP	16999	12309	92017	362	2634	685	0	66	£125,072
W. McCrea	DUP	20904	30247	86875	627	2027	1044	0	0	£141,724
A. McDonnell	SDLP	23083	16967	94769	209	864	1202	0	9801	£146,895
E. McGrady	SDLP	9295	25537	86078	466	1140	1225	6757	10158	£140,656
M. McGuinness	SF	21000	21231	89087	0	0	1127	0	0	£132,445
C. Murphy	SF	21000	21293	85790	55	170	1413	0	0	£129,721
I. Paisley	DUP	18136	26084	85760	305	1612	0	0	0	£131,897
I. Robinson	DUP	20478	8079	78175	879	3192	1382	0	1315	£113,500
P. Robinson	DUP	19864	15301	72870	288	1355	1349	0	3136	£114,163
D.Simpson	DUP	21770	21091	83001	482	1433	1101	0	2676	£131,554
S. Wilson	DUP	14557	19154	88089	631	2240	1355	0	9931	£135,957
										£2,377,514

A = Cost of staying at main home.  B = office running costs.  C= Staffing costs.  D = Centralling purchased stationary E= Stationary associated purchase.  G= Staff cover & other associated costs.  H = Commons Allowance

Sinn Fein’s accommodation allowances are a round figure.  Iris and Peter Robinson have similar housing costs to the rest yet one wonders why they could not share accommodation.  The MP with the most expenses was SDLP’s Alasdair McDonnell with £146,895 whilst the MP that incurred the least was Gregory Campbell with £111,594.   It makes no sense that there is such a wide variation between the expense claims.  Lady Sylvia Hermon, whom you would imagine would be the most expensive as she spends more time at Westminster, not being an MLA, is the fourth least expensive.

The figures are very similar to the expense of MPs who sit in English constituencies, yet we know that all Northern Ireland MPs, with the exception of Lady Sylvia Hermon, are also MLAs.

Quite frankly, £2.4 million in expenses (salaries are separate) for 18 MPs are not acceptable until they are justified.  I challenge every Northern Ireland MP to come forward and explain their expenses on this blog.