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MPs vote on new £10,000 allowance MPs vote on new £10,000 allowance
(about 2 hours later)
Members of Parliament are to vote on whether to give themselves £10,000 a year more to help them communicate better with their constituents.Members of Parliament are to vote on whether to give themselves £10,000 a year more to help them communicate better with their constituents.
The money can be used to fund a range of things, including websites which can include blogs and podcasts. The money can be used to fund a range of projects, including websites.
The allowance is on top of £20,000 MPs get on office running costs, plus £7,000 to spend on pre-paid envelopes.The allowance is on top of £20,000 MPs get on office running costs, plus £7,000 to spend on pre-paid envelopes.
It can be used for constituency news letters, press releases, petitions, contact cards and online surgeries. Commons leader Jack Straw said websites would not become "propaganda" but Labour MP Tony Wright said they would mean "shameless self-promotion".
'Health of democracy'
Mr Straw told MPs: "The purpose of this allowance is to contribute to better public understanding of what this Parliament is about and what it does...
"It's important for the health of our democracy for the public to know more about what we do."
He added it was better "not to become a propaganda tool for the use of incumbents".
Mr Straw said websites funded by the extra £10,000 must not promote a party or politician, or raise funds, and must carry a message saying they are publicly paid for.
They would also have to close down while Parliament is dissolved for an election, so as not to give incumbent MPs an advantage, he added.
But Mr Wright, MP for Cannock Chase, said: "It's going to be an exercise in shameless self-promotion. It's going to tell people how wonderful we are and is paid for by our constituents."
Shadow Commons leader Theresa May said: "We owe it to our constituents to spend their taxes wisely."
She added: "I think there's a reason for changing the rules, but not for introducing a new allowance, which would enhance the position of incumbents."
Liberal Democrat spokesman David Heath said: "We have to be extremely careful when we are seen by those outside to be awarding ourselves yet another allowance of substantial size, without a clear indication of how the money spent is to the advantage of our constituents rather than us."
The existing allowance can be used for constituency news letters, press releases, petitions, contact cards and online surgeries.
It cannot be used for fundraising, campaigning, business activities, encouraging people to join a political party, or for petitions or surveys associated with national or local elections.It cannot be used for fundraising, campaigning, business activities, encouraging people to join a political party, or for petitions or surveys associated with national or local elections.
£6m annual cost The £10,000 limit for the new allowance was set by the Members Estimate Committee after MPs agreed there should be money "to assist in the work of communication with the public on parliamentary business".
The £10,000 limit was set by the Members Estimate Committee after MPs agreed there should be an allowance "to assist in the work of communication with the public on parliamentary business".
The committee said MPs had been told they needed to do more to communicate with the public, and that "the traditional method of communicating by letter has shown no sign of abating".The committee said MPs had been told they needed to do more to communicate with the public, and that "the traditional method of communicating by letter has shown no sign of abating".
It estimated that the total annual cost of the communications allowance would be about £6 million, while the pre-paid envelope allowance would be limited to £4 million. It estimated that the total annual cost of the communications allowance would be about £6m, while the pre-paid envelope allowance would be limited to £4m.
Last year the House of Commons figures showed that MPs claimed almost £86.8m in expenses and allowances - an increase of nearly £6m on the previous year. Last year, House of Commons figures showed that MPs claimed almost £86.8m in expenses and allowances - an increase of nearly £6m on the previous year.
The 2005/06 payments - about £131,000 per MP - come on top of a basic salary of about £60,000 and a pension.The 2005/06 payments - about £131,000 per MP - come on top of a basic salary of about £60,000 and a pension.