This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33349595
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Duncan Smith among 19 MPs to have had Commons credit cards suspended | Duncan Smith among 19 MPs to have had Commons credit cards suspended |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Iain Duncan Smith had his official credit card suspended after running up more than £1,000 in expenses debts. | Iain Duncan Smith had his official credit card suspended after running up more than £1,000 in expenses debts. |
| The work and pensions secretary was among 19 MPs subject to action by the Commons watchdog after failing to show spending was valid. | The work and pensions secretary was among 19 MPs subject to action by the Commons watchdog after failing to show spending was valid. |
| The debts, which have been since paid off, were disclosed in response to an FOI request by the Press Association. | The debts, which have been since paid off, were disclosed in response to an FOI request by the Press Association. |
| The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority issues MPs with credit cards to pay for items such as accommodation. | The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority issues MPs with credit cards to pay for items such as accommodation. |
| Mr Duncan Smith's card was blocked when he owed £1,057.28. He does not currently have any debt. | Mr Duncan Smith's card was blocked when he owed £1,057.28. He does not currently have any debt. |
| Among others whose cards were stopped since the start of the year were Labour's work and pensions spokeswoman Rachel Reeves and former Lib Dem minister Simon Hughes. | |
| Both have since cleared their debts - which totalled £4,033,63 and £826.56 respectively. | |
| 'Recovery action' | |
| The politicians have to prove their spending is genuine at the end of every month or they build up debts to the watchdog. | The politicians have to prove their spending is genuine at the end of every month or they build up debts to the watchdog. |
| Former Labour MP Eric Joyce, who assaulted a fellow MP in a Commons bar and received a suspended jail sentence in May following a separate incident, had his card blocked when he owed £12,919.61, and later had his salary docked. | |
| Other MPs who had a bar put on their cards included Toby Perkins, Ben Gummer, Mark Lancaster. | |
| Ipsa also revealed that 25 MPs and former MPs currently have sums outstanding on their cards, including the DUP's Iain Paisley and former Lib Dem MPs Mike Crockart and Stephen Gilbert. | |
| An Ipsa spokesman stressed that these figures were a "snapshot" and in many cases could merely be awaiting evidence from MPs that they were valid claims. | |
| "An MP may owe an amount to Ipsa for many different reasons, and the fact that an amount is owed does not, in itself, indicate any misuse of the MPs' Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses," the spokesman said. | |
| "As part of our credit management programme, MPs are sent financial statements detailing their monthly position with Ipsa. Where MPs have amounts owed to Ipsa, action is taken to recover these amounts." |