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MPs vote to change expenses rules MPs vote to change expenses rules
(10 minutes later)
MPs have rejected a Conservative attempt to stop them spending up to £24,000 a year of taxpayers' money on furnishing their second homes. MPs have taken a step towards changing their controversial system of expenses.
Instead they backed a government move to reimburse "reasonable costs" of up to £2,400. They are preparing to abolish what has become known as the "John Lewis" list, where they can claim up to £24,000 a year to furnish their second homes.
Ministers want the National Audit Office to oversee the system of allowances and to judge what is reasonable for MPs to spend. MPs voted for a government plan to cut the amount they can spend on furnishings to £2,400.
Earlier this month MPs voted to keep their £24,000 second home allowances. But they can still claim up to £24,000 on overall second home costs, to cover expenses such as mortgages, rent, council tax and utility bills.
Shadow Commons leader Theresa May said the change amounted to replacing the "John Lewis list" of household goods MPs' can claim with an "Ikea list". The £2,400 should be enough to cover "reasonable costs" for furnishings, Commons leader Harriet Harman said.
The Tories' motion, which was rejected by 295 votes to 238, called for tighter auditing and an end to payments for furniture and household goods from April next year, in view of "growing public concern". Ministers want the National Audit Office to oversee the system of allowances and to judge what it is reasonable for MPs to spend.
The government measure backed the scrapping of the list but provided instead for reasonable costs to be capped at 10% of the existing additional costs allowance in any one year.