MP welcomes publication of allowances

10 December 2009

Don Valley MP Caroline Flint welcomed the publication of MPs allowances for 2008/9 and 2009 to date and welcomed that her mortgage and house removal costs were accepted by Sir Thomas Legg's Review Team that audited MPs' allowance claims.

Said Caroline: "The public can now see what it costs to support MPs who live away from their family home in London for part of the year. My allowances for 2008/9 are very similar to those already published for earlier years. And these forms are much clearer as the House of Commons authorities got the message about reducing the amount that was blacked out."

Ms Flint also welcomed the review of all previous allowances by Sir Thomas Legg. "I am very grateful to Sir Thomas' team. They have approved all of my mortgage claims - the largest items in any MP's allowances - and the Review team accepted the reimbursement of half of my costs of moving home in 2006 without query.

"This corrects the misleading impression created by some newspapers that I had made an excessive or improper claim.

"Sir Thomas Legg's team of auditors have been thorough and independent. They identified one item where the House of Commons had duplicated its reimbursement to me; and I identified another which was not obvious. Sir Thomas also retrospectively applied a cash limit on the cost of replacing a washing machine. This limit was not in place when the claim was submitted. I have already reimbursed the House of Commons for the difference for this item and the duplicated payments, a total of £734.

"As such Sir Thomas has confirmed in writing today that I have nothing to repay."