MPs’ late payment claims rejected
Former Labour Minister Jack Straw and ex-Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy were among those who fell foul of the stricter new rules.
Altogether 13 MPs were refused such payments by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority of the £13.50 late charges levied by their telephone companies.
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Hide AdThe regulator’s latest figures showed 34,000 claims were processed in June and July this year – worth a total of £5.2m.
IPSA also gave details of 53 claims by 34 MPs which were either refused or, as with the phone bills, only reimbursed in part.
Most regularly refused payment was Tewkesbury Conservative MP Laurence Robertson who submitted receipts for daytime taxi journeys in and around Westminster.
However, his excuse for not using public transport was dismissed by the IPSA as there were “other viable options” than taxis for the journeys.