Revealed: How much MPs claimed in expenses

Oct 26 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

STEPHEN HESFORD was revealed as the region’s most expensive MP last night after claiming £162,850 in allowances last year – nearly 20% higher than the Commons average.

The Wirral West MP ran up the 15th highest Parliamentary bill of Britain’s 645 MPs in the 12 months to March this year.

A detailed breakdown of the figures revealed it was Mr Hesford’s train travel – a bill of £11,032 – that helped propel him up the expenses’ league table. The average rail cost was just £3,258.

Similarly, his postage costs were also around three times the Commons average (£11,349, compared to £3,750) and he spent considerably more than the average on running his office (£23,358, against £20,037).

Last night, Mr Hesford launched a strong defence of his allowances bill, saying: “I hold more surgeries than any other MP in the country and have a bigger caseload, extending to more than 25,000 contacts from my constituents.

“My office is very busy and I think that, on the whole, people appreciate receiving a good service from me and my very hard-working staff.”

The second costliest MP in Merseyside, North Cheshire and West Lancashire was Louise Ellman (Liverpool Riverside), who spent £153,637 – 56th place in the Westminster league table.

Close behind was Mike Hall (Weaver Vale – £150,170, 87th), ahead of Stephen O’Brien (Eddisbury – £148,831, 104th) and Helen Jones (Warrington North–- £148,151, 116th).

But Crosby’s Claire Curtis-Thomas, the most costly MP in the country when the figures were first released in 2004, was back in 213th place, spending £143,016, slightly less than last year.

In contrast to the high spenders, the least expensive local MP was David Watts (St Helens North – £113,887, 590th), followed by Derek Twigg (Halton – £121,381, 544th).

While Mr Hesford spent £11,032 on postage, Mr Watts (£1,124) and Mr Twigg (£1,735) were almost stingy in comparison.

The allowances – which are on top of a basic salary of £59,686 – cover everything from office and staff costs, to computer equipment, travel expenses, a home in London and postage bills.

In total, MPs totted up a bill of £87.6m in 2006-07, a like-for-like rise of about 5% on the previous year.

Labour minister Shahid Malik (Dewsbury) claimed the most at £185,421, while Conservative MP Philip Hollobone (Kettering) claimed the least – £44,551.

Then chancellor Gordon Brown, Tory leader David Cameron and then Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell’s claims were all around the average, at £135,525, £143,385 and £142,810 respectively.