MSPs agree to repay wreath claims

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/scotland_politics/8075228.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Fifteen members of the Scottish Parliament who claimed for Remembrance Day wreaths on expenses are to pay the money back.

MSPs from the SNP, the Liberal Democrats and Labour reclaimed money paid to PoppyScotland and the Lady Haig Poppy Factory.

The claims were within Holyrood rules as the politicians were laying wreaths on behalf of the Scottish parliament.

But the Taxpayers' Alliance said they showed a lack of common decency.

Spokesman for the pressure group, Mark Wallace, said: "It beggars belief that the Scottish Parliament's rules allow claims for wreaths.

"Even if they do it's shocking that MSPs thought it acceptable. It's not a question of money. It's a question of common decency and respect."

Seven SNP MSPs - Roseanna Cunningham, Angela Constance, Alasdair Allan, Michael Matheson, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson and John Wilson - are understood to have claimed.

Liberal Democrats Ross Finnie, Jamie Stone, Robert Brown and Jim Tolson also made claims along with Labour MSPs Cathy Jamieson, Trish Godman, Rhona Brankin and Helen Eadie.

No Conservatives are thought to have claimed.

Claims 'legitimate'

A Labour spokesman said: "MSPs lay wreaths on behalf of the Scottish Parliament. The money for the wreaths goes to PoppyScotland that funds care for veterans.

"Some MSPs have many remembrance ceremonies in their constituency and it has been traditional for the local parliamentarian to send a wreath for them.

"These funds have been claimed completely legitimately but Labour members have decided to pay the money back to avoid any embarrassment to PoppyScotland."

The Liberal Democrats said the MSPs had attended wreath-laying ceremonies in an official capacity, but would nonetheless be repaying the money.

In a statement the SNP said its members would either be repaying the money or making a donation to Poppy Scotland equal to the cost of the claims.