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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. |
| 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. |
| When it all goes live, we are hoping it's all going to stand up to what we anticipate will be a huge volume of traffic Commons spokesman Minister quits over expenses | When it all goes live, we are hoping it's all going to stand up to what we anticipate will be a huge volume of traffic Commons spokesman Minister quits over expenses |
| Treasury Minister Kitty Ussher became the latest casualty of the expenses affair on Wednesday. She stepped down amid reports that she had changed the designation of her constituency home to avoid capital gains tax. | Treasury Minister Kitty Ussher became the latest casualty of the expenses affair on Wednesday. She stepped down amid reports that she had changed the designation of her constituency home to avoid capital gains tax. |
| Ms Ussher said she acted within the rules and was quitting to prevent the government from further embarrassment amid public anger about expenses. | Ms Ussher said she acted within the rules and was quitting to prevent the government from further embarrassment amid public anger about expenses. |
| The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said that if the database was all the public could see and 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 database was all the public could see and 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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| 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 added: "The fact is the system just isn't capable ... of withstanding the kind of public scrutiny it has had over the last month and a half. | But he added: "The fact is the system just isn't capable ... of withstanding the kind of public scrutiny it has had over the last month and a half. |
| "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." | "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." |
| He added the problems were the result of self regulation - now expenses would be audited independently. | He added the problems were the result of self regulation - now expenses would be audited independently. |
| "It's been very, very damaging for confidence in Parliament, but when something goes wrong in life the most important thing is to hold your hands up and say it shouldn't have happened and then you have got to put it right." | "It's been very, very damaging for confidence in Parliament, but when something goes wrong in life the most important thing is to hold your hands up and say it shouldn't have happened and then you have got to put it right." |
| 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. |
| Second homes | Second homes |
| A spokesman for the House of Commons said steps were being taken to prevent the Parliament website from crashing under the weight of an expected massive increase in visitors. | A spokesman for the House of Commons said steps were being taken to prevent the Parliament website from crashing under the weight of an expected massive increase in visitors. |
| Claims made by all 646 MPs since 2004 have been published alphabetically with thousands of receipts made available in a series of PDF files. | Claims made by all 646 MPs since 2004 have been published alphabetically with thousands of receipts made available in a series of PDF files. |
| Commons authorities had been ordered to release the information | Commons authorities had been ordered to release the information |
| The claims are broken down into three categories, with most attention focused on the additional costs or second homes allowance. | The claims are broken down into three categories, with most attention focused on the additional costs or second homes allowance. |
| The Telegraph's reports revealed the apparent misuse of this allowance - designed to provide for the cost of members having to stay away from their main home on parliamentary business - by some MPs. | The Telegraph's reports revealed the apparent misuse of this allowance - designed to provide for the cost of members having to stay away from their main home on parliamentary business - by some MPs. |
| Under the rules, MPs had to nominate a second home for which they could claim for rent, mortgage interest, furnishings and food up to a maximum of more than £23,000 a year. | Under the rules, MPs had to nominate a second home for which they could claim for rent, mortgage interest, furnishings and food up to a maximum of more than £23,000 a year. |
| The Telegraph reported that some MPs had claimed for items that, while within the rules, were questionable. | The Telegraph reported that some MPs had claimed for items that, while within the rules, were questionable. |
| The paper also highlighted the practice of "flipping" - by which some MPs switched the designation of their homes and claimed allowances for several properties over the four year period. | The paper also highlighted the practice of "flipping" - by which some MPs switched the designation of their homes and claimed allowances for several properties over the four year period. |
| Exclusions | Exclusions |
| Last year, the Commons agreed to blank out certain information considered sensitive including MPs' travel patterns and all communications with the Fees Office. | Last year, the Commons agreed to blank out certain information considered sensitive including MPs' travel patterns and all communications with the Fees Office. |
| MPs have been able to look at the edited material and suggest further exclusions, with any disputes adjudicated by the Members Allowances Committee. | MPs have been able to look at the edited material and suggest further exclusions, with any disputes adjudicated by the Members Allowances Committee. |
| Other information published on Thursday includes the incidental expenses provision for MPs, which pays for office costs, and the communications allowance. | Other information published on Thursday includes the incidental expenses provision for MPs, which pays for office costs, and the communications allowance. |
| 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 |
| All the receipts were being prepared for publication in July after Parliament was ordered to release them by the High Court but were brought forward in light of the Telegraph expose. | All the receipts were being prepared for publication in July after Parliament was ordered to release them by the High Court but were brought forward in light of the Telegraph expose. |
| Labour has referred MPs accused of making questionable claims to an internal disciplinary panel, which has barred five MPs from standing at the next election. | Labour has referred MPs accused of making questionable claims to an internal disciplinary panel, which has barred five MPs from standing at the next election. |
| The Tories have asked all its MPs to submit their claims to an internal panel for scrutiny, with a handful of MPs either being forced to stand down or choosing to retire. | The Tories have asked all its MPs to submit their claims to an internal panel for scrutiny, with a handful of MPs either being forced to stand down or choosing to retire. |
| 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. | 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. |
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