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| MPs' expenses made public online | MPs' expenses made public online |
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| The expenses claims of every MP for the past four years have been published, but with some key details blacked out. | The expenses claims of every MP for the past four years have been published, but with some key details blacked out. |
| Commons authorities have published the details after a long-running Freedom of Information battle. | Commons authorities have published the details after a long-running Freedom of Information battle. |
| The addresses that claims relate to - and correspondence - have been removed on privacy and security grounds. | The addresses that claims relate to - and correspondence - have been removed on privacy and security grounds. |
| This means it is not possible to see if MPs "flipped" second homes - a key part of the Daily Telegraph's revelations from its leaked version of the data. | This means it is not possible to see if MPs "flipped" second homes - a key part of the Daily Telegraph's revelations from its leaked version of the data. |
| MPs have said some details, like addresses and travel patterns, have to be withheld for security reasons . | MPs have said some details, like addresses and travel patterns, have to be withheld for security reasons . |
| Minister quits | Minister quits |
| But other details have been removed in the official version such as Prime Minister Gordon Brown's claims for his Sky television subscription - despite the fact it was published last year, also under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI). | But other details have been removed in the official version such as Prime Minister Gordon Brown's claims for his Sky television subscription - despite the fact it was published last year, also under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI). |
| A spokeswoman for the Commons said it was removed because of amendments to FOI legislation voted through by MPs in July 2008 to protect MPs' security by removing suppliers of services to home addresses. | A spokeswoman for the Commons said it was removed because of amendments to FOI legislation voted through by MPs in July 2008 to protect MPs' security by removing suppliers of services to home addresses. |
| Heather Brooke: 'Avoiding embarrassment has been the key motivating factor' | Heather Brooke: 'Avoiding embarrassment has been the key motivating factor' |
| The uncensored details obtained by the Daily Telegraph have led to weeks of revelations and a slew of resignations from MPs. | The uncensored details obtained by the Daily Telegraph have led to weeks of revelations and a slew of resignations from MPs. |
| On Wednesday Treasury minister Kitty Ussher stepped down amid reports that she changed the designation of her constituency home to avoid capital gains tax. | On Wednesday Treasury minister Kitty Ussher stepped down amid reports that she changed the designation of her constituency home to avoid capital gains tax. |
| She said it was within the rules but she wanted to protect the government from further embarrassment. | She said it was within the rules but she wanted to protect the government from further embarrassment. |
| The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said that if the full uncensored claims had not been leaked to the Telegraph, then MPs like Miss Ussher would still be in their jobs. | The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said that if the full uncensored claims had not been leaked to the Telegraph, then MPs like Miss Ussher would still be in their jobs. |
| Among Daily Telegraph revelations that do not appear in the blacked out versions of MPs' receipts are: | Among Daily Telegraph revelations that do not appear in the blacked out versions of MPs' receipts are: |
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| HAVE YOUR SAYI think we all know what the censoring is about, and it has nothing to do with "privacy and security grounds"Guy Flowers, Sheffield Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYI think we all know what the censoring is about, and it has nothing to do with "privacy and security grounds"Guy Flowers, Sheffield Send us your comments |
| Heather Brooke, one of the campaigners who brought the Freedom of Information case, told the BBC the official publication was a "substandard version". | Heather Brooke, one of the campaigners who brought the Freedom of Information case, told the BBC the official publication was a "substandard version". |
| She pointed out the High Court had ordered that second home addresses be published - two months later MPs voted to exempt their own addresses, travel plans and security bills from the FOI Act, arguing it would jeopardise their security. | She pointed out the High Court had ordered that second home addresses be published - two months later MPs voted to exempt their own addresses, travel plans and security bills from the FOI Act, arguing it would jeopardise their security. |
| But Ms Brooke said: "It's the only way to police effectively whether there is a second home and whether the mortgage exists ... It's really the only way we can hold them to account on that second home allowance." | But Ms Brooke said: "It's the only way to police effectively whether there is a second home and whether the mortgage exists ... It's really the only way we can hold them to account on that second home allowance." |
| 'Seismic changes' | 'Seismic changes' |
| She said the security argument had been "totally discredited" adding: "I can see that avoiding embarrassment has been the key motivating factor of what's been deleted." | She said the security argument had been "totally discredited" adding: "I can see that avoiding embarrassment has been the key motivating factor of what's been deleted." |
| And Maurice Frankel, of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, also said the official version was a "very poor substitute". | And Maurice Frankel, of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, also said the official version was a "very poor substitute". |
| BLACKED OUT INFORMATION Rejected claimsAny residential addressRegular travel patternsNames of anyone delivering goods to homesMoney spent on securityHotels or guest houses usedLetters/emails to Fees OfficeBank/credit card statementsPhone numbers on itemised billsPersonal items not claimed forStaff names and addressesBank/Giro detailsLandlord or mortgage providerPhotocopies of chequesSignaturesReference numbers ie NI See your MP's expenses Minister quits over expenses | BLACKED OUT INFORMATION Rejected claimsAny residential addressRegular travel patternsNames of anyone delivering goods to homesMoney spent on securityHotels or guest houses usedLetters/emails to Fees OfficeBank/credit card statementsPhone numbers on itemised billsPersonal items not claimed forStaff names and addressesBank/Giro detailsLandlord or mortgage providerPhotocopies of chequesSignaturesReference numbers ie NI See your MP's expenses Minister quits over expenses |
| But Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell said the publication was "fully in conformity with the High Court decision" and claimed details had been removed under the Data Protection Act. | But Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell said the publication was "fully in conformity with the High Court decision" and claimed details had been removed under the Data Protection Act. |
| He told the BBC Thursday's publication was "a remarkable achievement in terms of technology and in terms of being open with the public". | He told the BBC Thursday's publication was "a remarkable achievement in terms of technology and in terms of being open with the public". |
| He added: "What is blacked out is private information, bank account details, personal addresses, signatures and the suppliers' names and addresses, which is covered by the Data Protection Act." | He added: "What is blacked out is private information, bank account details, personal addresses, signatures and the suppliers' names and addresses, which is covered by the Data Protection Act." |
| Cabinet minister Hilary Benn told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The argument for keeping bank details, phone numbers and addresses confidential I think is a fair one." | Cabinet minister Hilary Benn told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The argument for keeping bank details, phone numbers and addresses confidential I think is a fair one." |
| But he said the system needed to change: "That's why we've seen seismic changes, that's why Parliament has already taken steps to alter the rules why Christopher Kelly's committee will look at what the new system will be." | But he said the system needed to change: "That's why we've seen seismic changes, that's why Parliament has already taken steps to alter the rules why Christopher Kelly's committee will look at what the new system will be." |
| For the Conservatives, shadow Commons leader Alan Duncan said: "I think the black ink is justified where it is things like ex-directory phone numbers ... and personal details and bank accounts." | For the Conservatives, shadow Commons leader Alan Duncan said: "I think the black ink is justified where it is things like ex-directory phone numbers ... and personal details and bank accounts." |
| He said changes had been made to ensure MPs could not "play around with the second home address in order to extract as much money as possible out of the system". | He said changes had been made to ensure MPs could not "play around with the second home address in order to extract as much money as possible out of the system". |
| Exclusions | Exclusions |
| But he said "at the very least" addresses should be properly audited and second homes designations should be "consistent". | But he said "at the very least" addresses should be properly audited and second homes designations should be "consistent". |
| More than a dozen MPs have said they plan to stand down since the furore over expenses began and many have had to repay money - more than £300,000 has been repaid. | More than a dozen MPs have said they plan to stand down since the furore over expenses began and many have had to repay money - more than £300,000 has been repaid. |
| WITHIN THE RULES £24,000-a-year Additional Costs Allowance, which covers the running of MPs' second homes£22,193-a-year Incidental Expenses Provision, which pays for running an office£10,400-a-year Communications Allowance, which funds websites, newsletters, stationery and postage | WITHIN THE RULES £24,000-a-year Additional Costs Allowance, which covers the running of MPs' second homes£22,193-a-year Incidental Expenses Provision, which pays for running an office£10,400-a-year Communications Allowance, which funds websites, newsletters, stationery and postage |
| Claims made by all 646 MPs under three different allowances since 2004 have been published alphabetically on the Parliament website with thousands of receipts made available in a series of PDF files. | Claims made by all 646 MPs under three different allowances since 2004 have been published alphabetically on the Parliament website with thousands of receipts made available in a series of PDF files. |
| The Daily Telegraph reports highlighted the practice of "flipping" - by which some MPs switched the designation of their homes and claimed allowances for several properties over four years as well as other claims that were within the rules - but questionable. | The Daily Telegraph reports highlighted the practice of "flipping" - by which some MPs switched the designation of their homes and claimed allowances for several properties over four years as well as other claims that were within the rules - but questionable. |
| Last year, the Commons agreed to blank out certain information considered sensitive including addresses and all communications with the Fees Office. MPs have been able to suggest further exclusions. | Last year, the Commons agreed to blank out certain information considered sensitive including addresses and all communications with the Fees Office. MPs have been able to suggest further exclusions. |
| The furore has led to interim changes to the second homes allowance while the Committee of Standards in Public Life is holding an inquiry into expenses and will recommend changes to allowances rules. | The furore has led to interim changes to the second homes allowance while the Committee of Standards in Public Life is holding an inquiry into expenses and will recommend changes to allowances rules. |
| Gordon Brown has said oversight of MPs' expenses must be handed over to an external regulator as part of a root and branch reform of Parliament. | |
| The Daily Telegraph's assistant editor Andrew Pierce told the BBC they would publish the entire list of claims submitted by the cabinet on Friday and every MP's expenses on Saturday - to allow people to draw their own conclusions about what had been "censored". | The Daily Telegraph's assistant editor Andrew Pierce told the BBC they would publish the entire list of claims submitted by the cabinet on Friday and every MP's expenses on Saturday - to allow people to draw their own conclusions about what had been "censored". |
| "I suspect it could be that more MPs will be considering their position and maybe their party leaders will be considering whether they are really fit to be an MP," he said. | "I suspect it could be that more MPs will be considering their position and maybe their party leaders will be considering whether they are really fit to be an MP," he said. |