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| MPs' expenses claims exceed £86m | MPs' expenses claims exceed £86m |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| MPs claimed almost £86.8m in expenses and allowances last year, an increase of nearly £6m on the previous year, House of Commons figures show. | MPs claimed almost £86.8m in expenses and allowances last year, an increase of nearly £6m on the previous year, House of Commons figures show. |
| The 2005/06 payments - about £131,000 per MP - come on top of a basic salary of £59,686 and a pension. | The 2005/06 payments - about £131,000 per MP - come on top of a basic salary of £59,686 and a pension. |
| Prime Minister Tony Blair claimed £87,342, with Tory leader David Cameron on £135,729 and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell taking £123,617. | Prime Minister Tony Blair claimed £87,342, with Tory leader David Cameron on £135,729 and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell taking £123,617. |
| Meanwhile Chancellor Gordon Brown claimed £134,586. | Meanwhile Chancellor Gordon Brown claimed £134,586. |
| Winding up | Winding up |
| Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott was reimbursed for £115,013 and Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett for £132,996. | |
| Part of this year's overall rise comes because the figures include £4m claimed by MPs who retired or lost their seats at the last general election. | Part of this year's overall rise comes because the figures include £4m claimed by MPs who retired or lost their seats at the last general election. |
| This covered winding-up allowances for the unfinished casework they carried over. | This covered winding-up allowances for the unfinished casework they carried over. |
| MPs claimed £80,844,465 altogether in 2004/05 - an average of about £122,000. | MPs claimed £80,844,465 altogether in 2004/05 - an average of about £122,000. |
| Up to £87,276 is available for salaries for researchers, secretaries and other staff. | Up to £87,276 is available for salaries for researchers, secretaries and other staff. |
| Other allowances can be claimed for travel on parliamentary business, office costs, stationery, postage and computer equipment. | Other allowances can be claimed for travel on parliamentary business, office costs, stationery, postage and computer equipment. |
| MPs representing constituencies outside central London can claim about £20,000 for the cost of staying near Parliament. | MPs representing constituencies outside central London can claim about £20,000 for the cost of staying near Parliament. |
| Ministers whose London accommodation is paid for by the taxpayer, such as the prime minister in Downing Street, can receive the money for their constituency homes. | Ministers whose London accommodation is paid for by the taxpayer, such as the prime minister in Downing Street, can receive the money for their constituency homes. |
| The Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, Norman Baker, the BBC most of the expenses were justified. | |
| He said: "It's actually better value than it is in many other countries such as America and most of the European countries. | |
| "Most of the money goes on staff salaries - that's included in there - our researchers, our constituency staff, our diary people and so on. | |
| "There's also elements in there for our rent of our offices in the constituency, telephones, heating and so on and there's an element as well - which is the bit that's unregulated in my view properly - for the second home in London, where you can stay overnight if you're on parliamentary business." |