Yes, we should pry,
Don't be so ridiculous.
I, for one, want to know where my taxes are going and how its spent

graham , Cardiff, UK

Don't be ridiculous, Daniel. You start out by admitting that "We pay this money because we are the employers of MPs". Quite right so far. Many of us have had the experience of submitting expense claims to our employers. Do they include full details of all the costs we are claiming back? Damn right they do. And do our employers have the right to see all those details? Of course! In fact, if they didn't we wouldn't have a hope of getting our claims paid. So why should MPs be specially privileged in this respect, just because they earn so much more than most of us?

Tom Welsh, Basingstoke,

You seem to be suggesting that a grateful electorate who have to pay for a mortgage from their own pockets should be subsidising Cameron, Osborne and Hague so that they can purchase huge piles in the country while none of them have done anything for this country to date. In past days the Duke of Wellington served the country well before retiring to Stratfield Saye. These three are jumped up schoolboys who are yet to prove whether they are capable of doing more than hosting Have I got news for You. They do not deserve such a reward from hard working tax payers.

Bill Basing, Basingstoke, UK

What I find the most unreasonable thing about this whole affair is the role of the BBC in it. I do not believe that the expenses should be kept secret but the BBC are becoming more and more involved in making the news rather than reporting on it. I get the sense that they are a little bit disappointed that they haven't generated a lead story that will run for days and days.

I am becoming more and more disillusioned with the BBC

tp, Newcastle, UK

Come on now we have to make our pay or pensions cover all of our expenses, taxes food insurance petrol etc. to qualify for any credits or disabilities we have to divulge very personal information. This is inflicted upon us by the very government who don't like the same treatment, lets be fair the trivial expenses they are claiming are similar to our total pensions.
The same rules should apply to all, lets have fair taxes and a pension that covers all our expenses without having complex schemes to claim for additional funds.Retirement ages the same for all no special privileges to a selected few. It appears that our complex taxation system is designed for the benefit of MP.s and the punishment of the lower and middle earners.

Tony, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex

MP's already have one residence - in their constituancy. That should be theirs and their costs. They should get paid costs, only costs, for running an office in that location.
For the time that they are in London an office is already provided. They need to have accomodation there - London has plenty of hotels and apartments to rent. Second homes are not necessary, and should not be paid for by taxpayers.
Many people are employed where they have to live and travel, for months at a time away from their residences. They get per dium, or allowances or expences paid. Why should MP's be any different. If they don't like the conditions, don't take the job.
There is no reason why taxpayers should pay the stupid allowances; food, mortgages, wives costs, family wages for doing little; that MP's have voted for themselves.

Brian Dennis, Exeter, UK

If a public servant in Africa gets elected and then puts his family members on taxpayer's payrolls, it is correctly critised as nepotism and corruption.
All UK public jobs have to be approved, authorised, advertised, selected impartially on correct procedures, and awarded to the best candidate. Family members of applicants cannot be on the selection process. Any other method of spending taxpayer's money on employees by any official is illegal.
By any logic, MP's break the law, both legally and ethically, when they hire family members. They should be prosecuted for doing so.

Brian Dennis, Exeter, UK

"And would we really get the sort of MPs we need if we are not prepared to give them a modicum of trust? "

Hands up, who agrees with this statement? Who thinks we have decent MP's now? Well come on now we're not exactly deafened by the clamour to extol their virtues. We need to do what this government has taught us all to do and has done with everything they have touched, we need to micromanage them. I want to know how many spoons they have in the draw if I'm paying for them.

judy, Liverpool, England

Give them a modicum of trust, Daniel?

We did once and they spent it.

Tricia, Sussex, uk

Sorry but I dont agree, when you apply for a job you are told the salary and if you dont like it you dont take it end of story. I have yet to see a job advertised which states, this is the salary but oh by the way theres a hundred and one ways you can double that without questions being asked once your in. Perhaps if the majority of MPs had ever had a proper job then they would appreciate just how well off they are compared to the rest of us.

Cromwell, Leeds, England

After Windsor's MP, The Honourable Michael Trend, was exposed in 2002 for wrongly claiming the tax free Additional Costs Allowance to purchase his only home, claims by other MPs for the same allowance went down by £2,560,000 the following year (2003/04)
This was the equivalent of 110 other MPs dropping their claims for this allowance.
(Source: The Information Tribunal decision 26.2.08 page 11 para 4&5 ).
And Winklestein says we should trust them !!!

Peter Hooper, Windsor., UK