Search for your MP on the expenses table

Three Labour ministers and MPs in marginal seats claimed the highest amounts in expenses last year. MPs’ claims rose by almost 5 per cent.

The average rose to £135,850 for the year to April, up from £128,280, with the total bill running to £87.6 million. The cost of running a second home, including food, utilities and cleaning, rose by £1,100, while average stationery bills rose from £4,612 to £5,024.

The figures released by Parliament revealed sharp discrepancies in the sums that different MPs charge for travel, London homes, office costs, computers and stationery.

Shahid Malik, the Junior International Minister and MP for Dewsbury (majority 4,615), spent £185,421, the highest of any MP and well above the average of £135,850. He claimed the maximum in allowances to fund a second home, above-average office, staffing and travel costs, and £26,069 — significantly more than the average — on stationery.

Liam Byrne, the Home Office Minister and MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill (majority 5,449) and Joan Ryan, Special Representative to Cyprus, a minister until July and MP for Enfield North (majority 1,920), were the next highest, claiming £178,116 and £173,691 respectively, according to an analysis by Bloomberg. Each claimed more than £20,000 for stationery.

Janet Anderson, MP for Rossendale in Lancashire, again submitted the biggest claim for car use at £13,851, down from last year but well above the MPs’ average of £3,220. MPs are allowed to claim 40p a mile for the first 10,000 miles and 25p after that.

Only two other MPs — Stephen O’Brien, from Eddisbury in Cheshire, and Laurence Robertson, from Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, both Conservatives — claimed more than £10,000 for car use.

Oliver Letwin, the Tory policy chief and MP for West Dorset, spent £4,971, the highest amount, on “third-party vehicle mileage”, which includes taxis.

Other high-spenders in this category included Diane Abbott, the MP for Hackney North & Stoke Newington, who spent £2,412; Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley), who spent £4,678, and John Grogan (Selby), at £3,570.

Joan Humble (Blackpool North & Fleetwood) spent £12,150 on rail but nothing on flights, while Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South) spent £2,058 on rail and £11,444 on flights.

The highest claim for stationery was once again Siobhain McDonagh, the Labour MP for Mitcham & Morden (majority 12,560). She spent £49,107, compared with £29,506 last year. Last year the highest stationery claim was significantly less, with Andrew Dismore, the Labour MP, spending £37,414. Ms McDonagh is not a member of the Government and sits on one committee, concerning unopposed Bills. According to the website TheyWorkForYou she has spoken in 13 debates and received answers to five written questions.

A spokeswoman for Ms McDonagh said: “She believes it is important for MPs to stay close to their constituents. It is why she is in politics, and in the last year has had important issues in her constituency, including potential closure of St Helier Hospital and turning round two local high schools which have become academies.”

In the past some MPs have been accused of using the stationery allowances, which are used to pay for the paper and postage for letters to constituents, for campaigning purposes.

The lowest overall claim was from Philip Hollobone (Conservative, Kettering) who claimed just £44,551, followed by the veteran Labour leftwinger Dennis Skinner (Bolsover) at £67,891. Gordon Brown, who was Chancellor during the period to which the latest figures refer, claimed £135,525. David Cameron claimed £143,385.

Nick Harvey, the Lib Dem MP who represents the Members’ Estimate Committee, said that taxpayers got “excellent value for money” compared with those in other countries.

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