Sam Coates, Chief Political Correspondent
Win VIP tickets

MPs will be banned from buying furniture, installing new kitchens or buying televisions on expenses but will be given a £4,200 a year subsistence allowance which can be claimed without receipts.
MPs on the Speaker’s committee have outlined a series of reforms to the system of MPs' expenses, which were drawn up in the wake of the Derek Conway scandal, and which they claimed marked the “end of the gentlemen’s club” in Parliament.
Under the favoured option of the committee, the amount of money to reimburse MPs with constituencies out of London will remain broadly the same, with a £19,600 maximum budget for accommodation and £30 a day for each of the 140 sitting days for subsistence. This will leave the overall total at £23,800.
Mortgage interest, utility bills, repairs, insurance, council tax and cleaning can still be claimed as part of the £19,600 so long as receipts are submitted. However redecoration - capital improvement, using the definition provided by the Inland Revenue - and household goods on the so-called John Lewis list will no longer be available.
The change is likely to mean little change for MPs like David Cameron who claimed all of their second home allowance under the present system as mortgage interest.
But the hardest hit will be long serving MPs who no longer have mortgages, who will no longer be able to spend the allowance on renovations to improve the value of their flat. Remortgaging property to increase its value has been forbidden since 2003.
Following the ruling by the Information Tribunal and High Court, all of the receipts submitted to Parliament will be available for the the public to see, with releases taking place every three months.
Parliament is spending close to a million pounds scanning every receipt submitted by MPs as part of their second home allowance over the summer.
The Members Estimate Committee has recommended tougher independent audits, so that the National Audit Office and an independent audit team will examine claims relating to at least 20 per cent of MPs each year.
“We recommend that the House extends the scope of the audit engagement so that it is the same for other public bodies,” the report said.
MPs will vote on the proposals on on July 3. The committee ruled out suggestions, floated during the review, of merging overnight expenses with salary, nor does it recommend a general per diem rate.
There will also be significant changes for London MPs. The report proposes reducing by half allowances for outer London MPs - following anger that they can claim for ACA despite often living within commuting distance of Westminster. The report said there was a “perverse incentive” for these members to run a second home because they did not receive money otherwise.
The committee said: “We recognise that habitual late finishes on Monday and Tuesday nights, combined with early starts the next morning, continue to justify accommodation expenses being covered for two nights a week, but that the same case cannot be made in respect of Wednesday or Thursday nights.
“So we see a case for a phased introduction of a ’half-rate’ accommodation allowance for MPs in (outer London), allowing them to take hotel rooms on Monday and Tuesday nights, or to retain modest or shared flats.”
Nick Harvey, the Liberal Democrat MP who is a spokesman for the Members’ Estimate Committee, said MPs would probably be “surprised” by the extra restrictions, he predicted.
But he added that although the maximum amount had been reduced only slightly, he would expect the average claim by MPs to fall.
Win a luxury weekend to Newcastle and its neighbour Gateshead, find out more here
Risk, resilience and embracing new technology
Industry sectors news at a glance. Interactive heatmap, video and podcast
Discover the power of collective thinking. Submit a solution and be in with a chance to win a Media Hub Home Entertainment System
The inside track on current trends in the charity, not for profit and social enterprise sectors
Everything the Business Traveller needs to know to make a better trip
Make the most of the summer and enter our fabulous photographic competition, you could win a £5000 holiday
Corsica is an island of beauty and contrast, an ideal holiday destination
Enjoy further reading from Travel to Fashion, Business to Sport, discover more
Shortcuts to help you find sections and articles
The clever way to lease a new car is with Car leasing made simple™
2009
per month on 36-month
Personal Contract Hire (PCH)
2008
42850
Car Insurance
£23,093 - £56,211
The Office for National Statistics
Newport, South Wales
£60,000
The Environment Agency
Bristol
Up to £90K
Boots
Midlands
OTE £85k
Credit Protection Association
Nationwide Opportunities
Completely London
Luxury Condo's in Manhattan with NYC views
The best new homes in Wimbledon?
Nationwide
Fabulous Cruise And Cruise & Stay Offers Including Virgin Atlantic Flights Prices Start From Only £699pp!
Last Minute Cruise And Cruise & Stay Offers. Med From £499pp, Caribbean From £699pp!
5 star quality at a 3 star price.
8 fabulous Canadian cities ...you won’t find cheaper
Contact our advertising team for advertising and sponsorship in Times Online, The Times and The Sunday Times, or place your advertisement.
Times Online Services: Dating | Jobs | Property Search | Used Cars | Holidays | Births, Marriages, Deaths | Subscriptions | E-paper
News International associated websites: Globrix Property Search | Property Finder | Milkround
Copyright 2009 Times Newspapers Ltd.
This service is provided on Times Newspapers' standard Terms and Conditions. Please read our Privacy Policy.To inquire about a licence to reproduce material from Times Online, The Times or The Sunday Times, click here.This website is published by a member of the News International Group. News International Limited, 1 Virginia St, London E98 1XY, is the holding company for the News International group and is registered in England No 81701. VAT number GB 243 8054 69.
According to whistleblower upto 100MPs fraudulently claiming?
Isn't it time for the tag line for our political system to be:
'Britain Burns While MPs Fiddle!' ?
When will we tax paying citizens get to hear the slamming of cell doors behind these thieves?
John L Bell, Ellesmere Port, England
Its a marvellous life. A committee of MP's recommend on their own tax free benefits ! Do these people not understand that all we want is transparency in their dealings. Lets not forget that they have just awarded themselves a "communication" allowance of £10,000.00. The trough has not altered !!
Graham, Penrith, England
Where I live there is a billboard which asks the good public to shop in benefit cheats- what baffles me is why it has taken so long to shop in the biggest cheats in the land -our MPs.
Having said that, I dont think anything has really been done!!
N Ahmed, Birmingham, England
Animal Farm has the best quote that covers this and all abuses by Leaders elected or others" We are all equal except us Pigs". MP's equal over 3% payrises, tax free allowances that are more than the public enjoy. MP's should equal civil service rates which are set independently
jim, cardiff,
Yes we taxpayers must wait hand and foot on the MP's giving them all our money for their houses,and then they take us to war so we can be killed . This Government and Country is so sick now and seems that it is all about how much money can be grabbed at others expense.
Kev, London, UK
It's a Joke ....A very SICK joke! And we are the cash cow.
Dave Bridge, Southport, U.K
There must be plenty of unoccupied council owned houses in and around London. Why not use these to house our MP's? It will save the tax payer a fortune and it will give this greedy, clueless bunch an opportunity to experience at first hand the society which they have created.
Julian, wilmslow,
The law makers are happy to raise taxation levels as long as they can claim it back on expenses. Labour claim to feel our pain. I doubt it very much
steve tea, manchester, cheshire
Can I vote on my inflation busting pay rise and expenses allowances please... or is that a perk just for temporary non qualified, inexperienced government employees in the MP department
Mick Reilly, Doncaster, England
I agree and why should they profit out of a second home any gains made should be paid back to the tax payer on sale of the property after all we paid for it!
H, leicester,
Why on earth are they getting £4,200 a year subsistence? The rest of us have to subsist without it. These people are parasites and most of them were rejected by the majority of their constituents. It is only because of our outdated 19th century electoral system that they are in Parliament at all.
Neil, Gloucestershire, England
What I just cannot understand is why MPs continue to feel that they are exempt from the tax rules on expenses for out of town living. My job means I spend most of the week away from home and under HMRC rules we aren't entitled to anything like the money those greed sods award themselves
Andy, London,
And what of the abuse like the Winterton's. Will they still be able to clain rent for a property they own??????????
These reforms are NOT good enough and should not be passed. I will email my MP today and ask him not to vote for this.
barbara, north east,