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MPs' expenses plan 'outrageous' MPs' expenses plan 'outrageous'
(1 day later)
A proposal to publish MPs' expenses without releasing receipts has been criticised as "outrageous". A move to exempt MPs from having to publish details of expenses claims has been criticised as "outrageous".
Freedom of Information (FOI) campaigner Heather Brooke, who won a fight to get 14 MPs' claims published in full, said it effectively changed the FOI Act. The plan, announced by the government this week, effectively nullifies a High Court ruling that every receipt claimed by MPs should be published.
Commons authorities had said they would publish all MPs' claims and receipts in October but the deadline was missed. Instead Harriet Harman said expenses would be provided in "an affordable and appropriate way", under 26 headings.
Commons leader Harriet Harman told MPs of plans to break down claims into 26 headings without mentioning receipts. Labour MP David Winnick told the BBC he was "unhappy" with the move in case it suggested MPs had "something to hide".
A spokesman for her office confirmed that if MPs approved the measures next week, the receipts would not be published. Last year campaigner Heather Brooke and journalists Ben Leapman and Jonathan Ungoed-Thomas won a lengthy Freedom of Information battle to get 14 MPs' expenses, including receipts, published in full.
'Really outrageous' 'Affordable'
Ms Brooke told the BBC: "This is the problem with the Parliamentary system - if they don't like the law, they can just change it, unlike the rest of us." The Commons authorities, which had spent £150,000 fighting the decision, said they would publish all MPs' claims and receipts in October.
By introducing changes to the publication of expenses as a statutory instrument, the government was effectively changing the Freedom of Information act, she said. But that deadline was missed as officials complained that the process of scanning and redaction, estimated to cost £950,000, was proving more complex than anticipated.
"It's a way to change the law without having a public debate," she said.
We want to make sure that the public have confidence that there are clear rules and they know what is going on Harriet HarmanCommons leaderWe want to make sure that the public have confidence that there are clear rules and they know what is going on Harriet HarmanCommons leader
"I think it's just really outrageous."
Last year the Commons lost a Freedom of Information battle - brought by Ms Brooke and two journalists - and was ordered to publish claims and receipts of 14 MPs, which it did in May.
It had been expected that a detailed breakdown of the expenses of all MPs, dating back to 2004, would be released last autumn.
Ms Brooke said the Commons authorities had refused several of her FOI requests on the basis that all information would be published in October.Ms Brooke said the Commons authorities had refused several of her FOI requests on the basis that all information would be published in October.
But the deadline passed without publication and officials complained that the process of scanning and redaction, estimated to cost £950,000, was proving more complex than anticipated. But announcing the new plans on Thursday, Commons leader Harriet Harman did not mention receipts or the Freedom of Information cases.
'John Lewis list' She told MPs the plans to break down expenses claims into 26 headings, rather than the current nine, would give the public "more information than they ever have before".
Announcing the new plans on Thursday, Ms Harman did not mention receipts or the Freedom of Information cases. 'Really outrageous'
She told MPs they would give the public "more information than they ever have before" but said people had to be given the information in an "affordable and proportionate" way. It would mean second home allowance claims would be broken down into mortgage interest claims, rent, hotel costs, council tax payments and "fixtures, fittings and furnishings" and repair cost claims, among others.
The old system saw MPs publish, for example, an overall figure for office running costs while the new version requires a greater breakdown including claims for telephone calls and bills.
Their second home allowance claims would be broken down into mortgage interest claims, rent, hotel costs, council tax payments and "fixtures, fittings and furnishings" and repair cost claims, among others.
Ms Harman told MPs: "We want to make sure that the public have confidence that there are clear rules and they know what is going on."Ms Harman told MPs: "We want to make sure that the public have confidence that there are clear rules and they know what is going on."
But she said people had to be given the information in an "affordable and proportionate" way.
What I'm afraid of is what's being proposed could give the impression that we have something to hide David WinnickLabour MP
However FOI campaigner Ms Brooke told the BBC that by introducing changes to the publication of expenses as a statutory instrument, the government was effectively changing the Freedom of Information act, she said.
"It's a way to change the law without having a public debate," she said.
She added: "I think it's just really outrageous."
"This is the problem with the Parliamentary system - if they don't like the law, they can just change it, unlike the rest of us."
And Labour backbencher David Winnick told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme he was "somewhat unhappy".
He said his claims were all legitimate and he had no reason to think any other MPs were not.
But he added: "It's the perception. What I'm afraid of is what's being proposed could give the impression that we have something to hide and that would be, to say the least, very unfortunate indeed."
MPs' expenses have been scrutinised since Tory MP Derek Conway was reprimanded for his use of allowances to pay his son, who was a full-time university student at the time.MPs' expenses have been scrutinised since Tory MP Derek Conway was reprimanded for his use of allowances to pay his son, who was a full-time university student at the time.
He was suspended from the Commons last February for ten days and was ordered to repay £13,161.
The months that followed saw Freedom of Information battles over MPs' expenses, the publication of the so-called "John Lewis list" against which MPs' claims are measured, and a Commons review of the system.The months that followed saw Freedom of Information battles over MPs' expenses, the publication of the so-called "John Lewis list" against which MPs' claims are measured, and a Commons review of the system.
In the end MPs voted to keep their second homes allowance and rejected external auditing, but agreed to limit the amount they spend on furnishings to £2,400 a year.In the end MPs voted to keep their second homes allowance and rejected external auditing, but agreed to limit the amount they spend on furnishings to £2,400 a year.