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Cabinet expenses under scrutiny Cabinet expenses under scrutiny
(9 minutes later)
Members of the Cabinet are facing tough questions after full details of their expenses claims were published by the Daily Telegraph. Cabinet ministers face questions after full details of their expenses claims were published by the Daily Telegraph.
They include a claim for £6,500 made by Gordon Brown to pay his brother for a cleaner for his Westminster flat.They include a claim for £6,500 made by Gordon Brown to pay his brother for a cleaner for his Westminster flat.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw received a 50% discount on the council tax on his second home, but claimed the full sum. Hazel Blears claimed for three homes in one year and spent nearly £5,000 on furniture in three months.
Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman said no resignations were likely as all claims were within the rules. Minister Harriet Harman said the system was not "scarred by corruption" and claims were made in "good faith" under the old rules which were being changed.
Meanwhile Downing Street has released a copy of the contract for cleaning Gordon Brown's flat and said there was nothing "unusual or wrong" about the PM sharing a cleaner with his brother and reimbursing him for a share of the cost.
'Looks bad'
The Telegraph reported that Andrew Brown received £6,577 between 2004 and 2006 for cleaning services at the prime minister's private flat.
Defending the prime minister, deputy Labour leader Ms Harman told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's being portrayed as if Gordon Brown somehow has pocketed extra money for it purporting to be his cleaner, or his brother has pocketed extra money, and that's not the case."
She said all claims were within the rules.
We do respect public opinion and we do respect the need for change Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell Expense claims - key details Nick Robinson's view
"I know this looks bad and people are angry," she said.
"MPs believe in the cause of public service and that's why they're in public service and I believe our House of Commons is not scarred by corruption on the scale of other political systems."
"We have recognised that the allowances system needs to change, but people have claimed in good faith under the old system - we've already changed the old system and we're going to change it further."
Asked about claims MPs have been claiming one property is their "second home" under the allowance, but not for the purposes of council tax or capital gains tax, she refused to give a "gut instinct judgement" on whether it was a breach of the rules.
Potential abuses
But she said: "Normally it would be the same for council tax, for tax if there was a sale of the property... normally there would be a consistency on that."
Full details of all MPs' expenses dating back four years, running to 2.4 million receipts, were due to be published in the middle of July after the Commons authorities lost a Freedom of Information battle.Full details of all MPs' expenses dating back four years, running to 2.4 million receipts, were due to be published in the middle of July after the Commons authorities lost a Freedom of Information battle.
But the Telegraph claims potential abuses would have remained secret because MPs have been allowed to edit out addresses and other information.But the Telegraph claims potential abuses would have remained secret because MPs have been allowed to edit out addresses and other information.
We do respect public opinion and we do respect the need for change Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell href="/1/hi/uk_politics/8039273.stm">Expense claims - key details class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/">Nick Robinson's view class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYHaving a clean house is not requisite to being an MP, so why are we paying for it?Alex, Pontyclun href="/1/hi/talking_point/8039329.stm">Send us your comments
The newspaper has obtained a copy of all the uncensored receipts - and has published details of 13 Cabinet ministers, including chancellor Alastair Darling, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and Culture Secretary Andy Burnham. The newspaper has published details of 13 cabinet ministers, including chancellor Alistair Darling, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and Culture Secretary Andy Burnham.
It plans to publish further revelations about MPs from other parties as well as Labour over the next few days and these are rumoured to include embarrassing and even career-ending revelations. It plans to publish further revelations about MPs from other parties as well as Labour over the next few days.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said it was unlikely anyone in the Cabinet would be forced from office over the initial revelations but they would be facing some awkward questions. The Telegraph reported that Gordon Brown also claimed £153 twice for the same plumbing work at his constituency home - which No 10 said was done inadvertently and had been repaid.
Claimed twice Justice Secretary Jack Straw claimed his entire council tax bill for his second home despite already enjoying a substantial discount from his local authority, worth a reported £1,500 a year.
The Telegraph reports that Gordon Brown's brother, Andrew, received £6,577 between 2004 and 2006 for cleaning services at the prime minister's private flat. 'Honest'
No 10 told the paper that the PM shared a cleaner with his brother - an executive at EDF Energy - and "reimbursed him for the share of the cost". His spokesman said all his claims were made within Commons rules and he had repaid it when he spotted the mistake.
A Downing Street source said there was a formal and longstanding contract for the cleaner, stipulating hours of work and payment. Among other revelations, Ms Blears is said to have claimed for expenditure under the allowance on three different properties during the same year, spending £5,000 on furniture in three months.
Gordon Brown also reportedly claimed £153 twice for the same plumbing work at his constituency home. The Telegraph says by switching their designated second home between their London and constituency properties, Ms Blears and other MPs have been able to claim for household goods or other reimbursements for both.
But No 10 said the Parliamentary Fees Office accepted this was done inadvertently and had written to Mr Brown to apologise for not spotting the mistake. Jack Straw is under scrutiny for his council tax claims
Mr Straw claimed his entire council tax bill for his second home despite already enjoying a substantial discount from his local authority, worth a reported £1,500 a year.
A spokesman for Mr Straw said all his claims had been made in accordance with Commons rules and when the mistake was spotted by the justice secretary himself, the money was repaid.
Among other revelations, Ms Blears is said to have claimed for expenditure under the Additional Costs Allowance on three different properties during the same year, spending £5,000 on furniture in three months.
I don't think there's any reason for resignations, but there is reason to tighten up the system Harriet Harman, deputy leader
The Telegraph says by switching their designated second home between their London and constituency properties, Ms Blears and a number of other MPs have been able to claim for household goods or other reimbursements for both.
A spokesman for Ms Blears said she had done nothing wrong and the furnishings she had bought were "reasonable".A spokesman for Ms Blears said she had done nothing wrong and the furnishings she had bought were "reasonable".
"Hazel is honest as the day is long," said the spokesman."Hazel is honest as the day is long," said the spokesman.
Culture Secretary Andy Burnham was in correspondence with the fees office for eight months over an expenses claim for £16,500 to buy and renovate a new London flat.Culture Secretary Andy Burnham was in correspondence with the fees office for eight months over an expenses claim for £16,500 to buy and renovate a new London flat.
Officials finally agreed to pay the cash after rejecting the claim three times.Officials finally agreed to pay the cash after rejecting the claim three times.
This followed a series of letters from Mr Burnham asking for his expenses to be paid urgently.This followed a series of letters from Mr Burnham asking for his expenses to be paid urgently.
'Switching'
Mr Burnham says that over the past five years he has under-claimed on the Additional Costs Allowance by about £40,000.Mr Burnham says that over the past five years he has under-claimed on the Additional Costs Allowance by about £40,000.
The Telegraph accuses MPs of trying to maximise the amount of money they can legitimately claim within the rules, which they set and oversee.The Telegraph accuses MPs of trying to maximise the amount of money they can legitimately claim within the rules, which they set and oversee.
HAVE YOUR SAYHaving a clean house is not requisite to being an MP, so why are we paying for it?Alex, Pontyclun Send us your comments
It identifies practices including "switching" homes to allow more money to be claimed, claiming the maximum amount allowable and using the rules to minimise council tax bills.
Commons leader Harriet Harman, who has been defending the government in media interviews, said the expenses system has changed since many of the claims were made and was still to be overhauled further.
"The claims would only have been paid out if the House of Commons authorities accepted that the claims were made within the rules," she told the BBC's Newsnight.
"I think if people have made claims in good faith under a system that existed at the time then I don't think there's any reason for resignations, but there is reason to tighten up the system."
Jack Straw is under scrutiny for his council tax claims
Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell, who sits on the House of Commons Commission, said the expenses claims were "not unusual" or "out of order".Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell, who sits on the House of Commons Commission, said the expenses claims were "not unusual" or "out of order".
He added: "We do respect public opinion and we do respect the need for change - and I think that change is coming, I hope it will come quicker and I hope the public will get the respect for MPs back which we do actually deserve at the end of the day."He added: "We do respect public opinion and we do respect the need for change - and I think that change is coming, I hope it will come quicker and I hope the public will get the respect for MPs back which we do actually deserve at the end of the day."
He also accused the Telegraph of "chequebook journalism".
The Telegraph has not confirmed whether it paid for the information.The Telegraph has not confirmed whether it paid for the information.
No 10 sources suggested the information published was accurate but insisted the nature and timing of the publication was politically motivated.No 10 sources suggested the information published was accurate but insisted the nature and timing of the publication was politically motivated.
MPs recently voted through reforms of the expenses system amid mounting public anger about alleged abuses and will now have to provide receipts for all spending.MPs recently voted through reforms of the expenses system amid mounting public anger about alleged abuses and will now have to provide receipts for all spending.
But they have still to reach a cross-party agreement on reforming the controversial second homes allowance. The Committee on Standards in Public Life is also conducting a review of pay and expenses after concerns public trust had fallen to an all-time low.But they have still to reach a cross-party agreement on reforming the controversial second homes allowance. The Committee on Standards in Public Life is also conducting a review of pay and expenses after concerns public trust had fallen to an all-time low.
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