Sentences with phrase «second homes allowance»

At the same time, Ms Kirkbride used her own second homes allowance to claim more than # 900 a month towards the loan on their family home in Bromsgrove.

Harriet Harman, the leader of the house, signalled a rethink when she told the Observer that the government «still have to find a formula which will reassure the public and MPs» on replacing the controversial second homes allowance, which compensates MPs for having to maintain a base in their constituency and the capital.

However, the most contentious issue - the # 24,000 - a-year second homes allowance available to all non-London MPs - will now be looked at by the independent Committee on Standards in Public Life.

The latest details of expenses claimed by MPs under the controversial second homes allowance have been made public.

Three cabinet members in particular are singled out for their «modest» claims under the second homes allowance by the Telegraph.

Martin Salter, Celia Barlow and Geoffrey Robinson are the three Labour MPs from constituencies outside London not to have claimed a penny in second homes allowance last year.

David Howarth, MP for Cambridge, is alone among Lib Dem MPs outside greater London in not claiming for a second homes allowance last year.

But later switched to the more generous second homes allowance - claiming # 18,181 in total, the newspaper said.

Instead of the second homes allowance MPs would get a «flat rate» allowance based on attendance at Parliament.

An MP's annual allowance covers their office costs and staff wages while they can also claim a second home allowance to cover the purchase of a London home.

Tony McNulty apologised and promised to repay more than # 13,000 in second home allowances which he claimed on a house where his parents live.

In May 2009, The Daily Telegraph revealed Lidington had claimed nearly # 1,300 for his dry cleaning and had also claimed for toothpaste, shower gel, body spray and vitamin supplements on his second home allowance.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller is facing fresh questions about her expenses claims after it was reported that she stopped claiming a second home allowance at around the time MPs were asked to sign a declaration that they would pay tax on any such property when it was sold.

The shadow chancellor was investigated over his second home allowance by the parliamentary standards watchdog.

Conservative leader says MP and wife of aide Andrew Mackay, who has resigned, has to answer for second home allowance

Relatively uncontroversial expenses claims include maximum second home allowance for past two years.

He had allowed his daughter and her boyfriend to live in the London flat for which he claimed a second home allowance.

Further revelations that the peer has received a second home allowance of # 38,280 a year for the last five years - despite having her main home in the capital - meant many within Whitehall had predicted an imminent departure for the peer.

Tomorrow second home allowance details come out for the year.

At present 51 of the AMs are entitled to a second home allowance for attending the assembly in Cardiff.

There also needs to be a radical overhauling of MPs» second home allowances.

Second home allowances for MPs could be replaced by an annual housing grant worth up to # 24,000, the Sunday Times claims.

Claim: The Conservative leader claimed a total of # 82,450 on his second home allowance over five years - mostly on mortgage interest payments and utility bills for his constituency home in Oxfordshire.

A handful of Conservative MPs - some within commuting distance of London - did not claim any second home allowance last year.

Claim: The Telegraph says the deputy speaker claimed # 142,119 in second homes allowances since 2001, despite having no mortgage on the property.

As well as not claiming a second home allowance, Mr Afriyie - elected in 2005 - was not reimbursed for any travel costs.

He says the second home allowance should only be used for paying for hotel accommodation or rental property.

He added that he had not claimed any second home allowance for his country house in Shropshire, which would have cost the taxpayer far more.

But the couple denied leaving the house vacant and insisted that married MPs were entitled to separate claims for a shared property, under the second home allowance rules.

Second home allowance would be replaced with a flat daily rate for MPs attending parliament, basing their allowance on «actual attendance in Westminster».

The speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, ordered a # 20,000 refurbishment of his grace - and - favour residence despite pledging to forgo the second home allowance when he was appointed two months ago.

She was compared with her neighbouring MP, Kelvin Hopkins, who it was reported in 2009 had only claimed # 8,894 in second home allowance over the previous five years.

Mr & Mrs Keen's expenses have been in the spotlight recently over their second home allowances and this new development comes as further evidence in the scrutiny of the couple's expenses.

The letter comes as two of his front benchers - home secretary Jacqui Smith and employment minister Tony McNulty - face parliamentary standards inquiries about their second home allowance.

In a letter to the committee on standards in public life, which is looking into MPs» pay expenses, Gordon Brown muted the idea of scrapping the second home allowance altogether.

We called for a ban on ministers claiming second home allowances when they enjoy a grace and favour home.

Mr Brown then moved from the Westminster flat to Number 10 Downing Street and spent second home allowances on gardening and renovation work in the Fife home.

Five Sinn Fein MPs claimed # 500,000 in second home allowances over five years despite not taking up their seats and paying double the rental market values (Sunday Telegraph)

The issue of Lords» expenses is already seeping out - there is an expectation of more revelations to come, particularly about second home allowances.

His headline promise it that he would not allow ministers to claim the second home allowance if they already have a second home provided by the State (as many Labour ministers have been doing, and doubtless Tory ministers in previous Governments too):

The Conservatives are prepared to support certain measures such as the removal of second home allowances for ministers in grace and favour properties - a reform which was in fact first proposed by David Cameron - but want voters to be able to Google MPs» expenses.

Current rules on claiming a second home allowance exclude all constituencies within 20 miles (32 km) of Westminster.

She claimed over # 90,000 in second home allowance between 2004 and 2009, despite living less than 30 miles from Westminster.

The shadow chancellor was investigated by Parliament's standards commissioner over his second home allowance after a complaint from a Labour activist.

Aside from the original issue of both Mr Mackay and Miss Kirkbride claiming second home allowances for different homes - for which David Cameron said Miss Kirkbride's situation was different - further issues have since been raised:

Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, who has faced criticism recently over claiming more than # 16,000 of taxpayers» money for a second home allowance, fared badly.

But Smith's claim that her rationale was clear, and that the expenses claims were «fair and reasonable» are undermined by the fact the ACA relates specifically to parliamentary duties, not those of the home secretary, and the ruling the MPs should seek the cheapest second home allowance option.

However, shortly after the pair entered their civil partnership, he started to claim his second home allowance on their joint property in Hammersmith, west London.

Back to index Crispin Blunt: The Conservative home affairs spokesman was told to stop claiming the second home allowance on his London home because his children lived there.

Nadine Dorries: Tory MP Nadine Dorries is said to have claimed for a New Year's Eve hotel room and a second home allowance while only having one home.