Taxpayers’ £120m bill after MPs spend more on staffing and travel
TAXPAYERS are funding MPs’ business costs to the tune of almost £120m a year, watchdogs have revealed.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) said the amount stood at £119.9m for the financial year 2018-2019 – up two per cent on the previous 12 months.
A further £3.5m was spent on security for MPs.
Staffing accounted for the bulk of the costs, standing at £91.4m, up 5.5 per cent on the previous year.
Office costs stood at £12.4m, up one per cent, while spending on accommodation came to £8.9m, a rise of six per cent on the previous year. Travel and subsistence costs increased by 39 per cent to £5.7m.
Funding to cover staff and dependants is also included in the travel costs. Security costs dropped by 23 per cent from £4.5m in the 2017-2018 financial year.
The IPSA’s interim chairman, Richard Lloyd, said: “Throughout the year, the IPSA quietly and effectively carried out its core business of making salary, business costs and eligible expenses payments to 650 MPs and their 3,750 staff.
“In recent days we have been supporting 155 newly-elected Members of Parliament to get used to their new roles, and helping those former MPs who are leaving to wind up their offices.
“Through the IPSA, taxpayers can be assured that MPs properly use the public resources given to them, within transparent and robust rules.
“The IPSA is now acknowledged as a world leader in its field, and makes a vital contribution to promoting confidence in the daily work of our democracy.”
The IPSA was created in 2009, largely as a response to the parliamentary expenses scandal. As well as monitoring expenses and paying salaries, it also sets the level of pay for MPs.