MPS told they can claim for Christmas parties on public purse

MPS WILL be allowed to have Christmas parties on the taxpayer for the first time under new rules at Westminster.

Members can claim food, refreshments, decorations and even festive greetings cards, according to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa). But they have been told they will not be allowed to buy alcohol on the public purse and have been urged to show restraint.

The new rules, first reported by the Daily Mail, say Christmas parties must “represent value for money, especially in the current economic climate”.

However, there was a growing backlash last night amid the cost of living crisis and the increased tax burden on households. “MPS already get a plum deal without taxpayer-funded office jollies,” John O’connell of the Taxpayers’ Alliance pressure group said. “MPS who want Christmas bashes should foot the bill themselves,” he told the Mail.

The new guidance was published by Ipsa last week to deal with “frequently asked questions” about allowances for MPS and their staff at Christmas.

It stated: “MPS can claim the costs of food and refreshments for an office festive event under the discretion allowed as ‘hospitality’ ... value for money should be considered and all claims will be published in the usual manner.”

MPS are told they can use their annual office budgets, £31,620 for those in London constituencies and £28,570 for the rest of the country, to claim the cost of festive office decorations. They can also claim the cost of printing and sending cards but are warned “they should not be sent to large groups or all constituents as there is a risk this may not represent value for money and could be considered self-promotional”.

Ipsa said: “We would remind MPS that claims should represent value for money, especially in the current economic climate, must be expressly parliamentary in nature and should not be party political, campaigning, or selfpromotional.”