‘Hugely embarrassing’ MPs’ expenses data in online leak mishap

MORE than 30 people downloaded confidential information about the amount MPs pay their staff, including their wives and family members, after it was accidentally leaked.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) has written to all 3,295 members of staff affected to formally apologise for the “serious error”.

Confidential data, including the names of every member of MPs’ staff, their exact salary and the amount that they received in bonuses, was inadvertently published online.

Marcial Boo, the chief executive of Ipsa, has now disclosed that the data was available for four hours and 50 minutes and as accessed “by around three dozen people”.

He issued an appeal to those who downloaded the information to ensure it is “permanently deleted or destroyed”. He said that “appropriate disciplinary action” will be taken against those who put the files online, but did not say if anyone would be sacked.

MPs who saw the data told the Telegraph that the data had the potential to be “hugely embarrassing” for MPs who employ their wives, children and other “connected parties”.

According to official records, a total of 150 MPs – equivalent to nearly one in four – employ a “connected party”, at a total cost to the taxpayer of £3.6 million.

Ipsa publishes anonymous information about salaries and bonuses paid to staff.

The data, in three files, was published on Ipsa’s old website for four hours until the authority was alerted to the breach by Karl McCartney, a Conservative MP.

The independent standards watch- dog also published detailed information about each individual’s working patterns, holiday entitlements and information about support they receive for any disabilities.

Mr McCartney said on Twitter that whoever posted the files online “really needs some IT training before their next job”.

One MP said the data included information about people’s disabilities, with one staff member referred to as “100 per cent disabled”.