Calls to increase MPs’ expenses

THE parliamentary expenses watchdog is facing to calls to increase MPs’ allowances to help them cope with their rising workload due to Brexit.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) disclosed that it had received representations from MPs to raise their staffing budget.

Under current rules, MPs can claim £150,900 a year for staffing costs, rising to £161,550 in London, although they can apply for an increase.

However, in its report on its annual survey of MPs published last month, Ipsa said some had said they still needed additional support.

“There were also requests to further increase MPs’ staffing budgets due to their increasing workloads, some of which is the result of Brexit,” it stated.

Ipsa said that it had received 93 response to the survey – nine from MPs, 33 from MP proxies who manage their business costs, and 51 from other staff members working for MPs.

It did not say how many had raised the issue of staffing costs.

Sir Alistair Graham, a former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said Ipsa should be wary of acceding to demands for a rise.

He told The Daily Telegraph: “Brexit sounds like a rather convenient argument for increasing funding. Ipsa should be very cautious about raising budgets.”