SNP MPS STILL DON’T GET IT
Nationalist MP bills taxpayer for brother’s SEVEN weeks of overtime (and colleague submits claim for her SON)
A NATIONALIST MP paid his brother more than seven weeks’ overtime from the public purse in only a year. Paul Monaghan signed off 255.75 extra hours for his sibling Mark, who is employed as his constituency communications manager.
It was also revealed yesterday that another Nationalist MP, Corri Wilson, paid her son for 118 hours of overtime in the year following the General Election.
Miss Wilson’s son, Kieran Donoghue, was employed as her personal assistant and caseworker, but left the role earlier this year. The vacancy was filled by his sister Shannon, who remains in the post.
The details were revealed in an Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) document, released under Freedom of Information legislation. Two other MPs – one Tory and one Labour – claimed overtime for relatives.
There is no suggestion any of the MPs who have paid overtime have broken any rules. They are allowed to hire relatives and overtime hours are paid from the Staffing Expenditure budget.
Rules regarding the employment of family members are due to be tightened.
The document revealed that Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross MP Dr Monaghan paid his brother for 255.75 hours of overtime. The seven-week figure is based on an employee working a 35-hour week.
While his brother’s salary has not been
disclosed, the role of communications manager would usually attract a salary of around £30,000.
With overtime paid at 1.5 times the normal hourly rate, this suggests the extra payments were worth up to £6,000.
There are no details on the salary paid to Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock MP Miss Wilson’s 30-year-old son either but a personal assistant/caseworker’s salary is usually around £24,700.
Last night, TaxpayerScotland director Eben Wilson called for more transparency in situations where MPs employ family. Warning that the revelations could fuel public concern, he said: ‘This does sound very much like cavalier behaviour. There really is no excuse for MPs not being on top of their office overheads, especially if relatives are involved.
‘Taxpayers expect full transparency, with an equally thorough approach to being accountable for every penny of our money that’s spent.’
Dr Monaghan was criticised after hiring his brother, but he argued that he was the best person for the job – and
‘This sounds like cavalier behaviour’
had gone through the same process as everyone else.
At the time, the MP said the post was ‘extremely technical’ and involved using Skype and social media.
An IPSA report earlier this year revealed that pay for ‘connected parties’ including spouses, partners and children is, on average, £5,600 a year higher than for other parliamentary staff.
The average salary for relatives employed by MPs is £31,000 and IPSA has conceded that controls to prevent misuse of public funds with family members are ‘limited’.
Two other MPs signed off overtime for relatives but the hours claimed were significantly lower than both SNP members.
Christchurch Tory MP Christopher Chope, who sits on the Scottish Affairs Committee, paid his wife 81 hours of overtime, while Jim Dowd, Labour MP for Lewisham West and Penge, signed off 42 overtime hours for his nephew.
Seven Nationalist MPs employ family members, including George Kerevan, who appointed his wife as his personal assistant.
The East Lothian MP was criticised for the move but claimed she was the best candidate for the job and that she was only offered it after a series of interviews.
Mr Kerevan had boasted about only taking £27,000 of his MP’s salary to stay in line with the average Scottish wage. But it was later revealed his wife was being paid £20,000 to run his office – taking their joint income to £47,000.
Nationalist MPs Richard Arkless (Dumfries and Galloway) and Brendan O’Hara (Argyll and Bute) also employ their wives.
Earlier this year, IPSA revealed it was to introduce new rules which mean MPs who hire family members will have to prove they are the best candidate for the job.
Chairman Ruth Evans said the public expect ‘equal opportunity employment’ even when it comes to MPs.
Currently, MPs are limited to having one relative on their payroll – and must publicly declare if they do hire family members.
In 2009, the Committee on Standards in Public Life recommended a ban on MPs employing relatives as it was ‘not consistent with modern employment practice designed to ensure fairness in recruitment, management of staff and remuneration’.
Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the committee, yesterday said that while he was not against MPs employing relatives, he did have concerns about the appointment process and scrutiny.
He added: ‘It looks, superficially, like a way of increasing the family income. I think it is very difficult on a thing like how many hours are you working.
‘There should be a pattern to this. IPSA should be able to tell if there is disproportionate money being paid to relatives.’
The Scottish Parliament recently introduced a rule banning MSPs from employing family members.
Last night, Miss Wilson would not comment on why overtime hours were worked or what qualifications her children had for their jobs.
But she did say: ‘Overtime is a regular feature of working for an MP, particularly when surgeries and other events are held over the weekend. All staffing issues are fully compliant with IPSA regulations.’
Dr Monaghan was contacted for a comment yesterday but did not respond.
An SNP spokesman said: ‘MPs employ their staff in accordance with Parliamentary rules and have made overtime payments to employees for work outside contracted hours, as most responsible employers do.’
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