By Alex Klaushofer
The Committee on Standards in Public Life’s plans to publish its recommendations on reforming MPs’ expenses at the next Parliament have been described as ‘ludicrous’ by the chair of an influential Commons committee.
The Committee on Standards in Public Life’s plans to publish its recommendations on reforming MPs’ expenses at the next Parliament have been described as ‘ludicrous’ by the chair of an influential Commons committee.‘They should have got hold of it ages ago,’ Tony Wright, public administration select committee chair, told Public Finance. ‘This is ridiculous. It needs something urgent. The idea that they start something leisurely in the autumn is ludicrous.’
Sir Christopher Kelly, chair of the standards watchdog, had announced on March 23 that the committee would be conducting a ‘wide-ranging’ review of the system governing MPs’ allowances later in the year.
New rules governing parliamentary expenses due to come into force on April 1 were unlikely to restore public confidence, he said.
The decision came amid revelations that employment minister Tony McNulty had been claiming £60,000 for a mortgage on a second home in his Harrow constituency only nine miles from his main London home in Hammersmith.
This prompted Conservative MP Greg Hands to ask parliamentary standards commissioner John Lyon to investigate whether the arrangement constituted a breach of the rules.
The issue has revived the controversy over London-based MPs claiming allowances for second homes in their constituencies.
In February, it emerged that Home Secretary Jacqui Smith had been claiming £116,000 for her family residence in her constituency.
This was after she had nominated her sister’s home in London – where she spent time during the week – as her principal residence. At the time the standards committee resisted calls to launch an inquiry.
But Kelly told PF that he thought that the chances of any conclusions drawn by the review being taken up would be ‘higher’ if they were presented to a new government.
‘The right time to produce a report that has a chance of its recommendations being accepted is at the beginning of the next Parliament,’ he said. ‘There are plainly people in this Parliament who think they’ve done the job.’
Wright said that – with more revelations about MPs’ expenses likely in the months to come – any delays in reforming the system would further damage public perception of MPs’ probity.
‘The worst thing of all is to have a drip-drip of cases that helps keep the issues alive,’ he said. ‘They need to get a grip and say what kind of system would be acceptable.’
But Kelly insisted that the review could not be rushed. ‘The public ought to be reassured that there’s going to be an independent inquiry,’ he said. ‘If I thought there were quick fixes I would be suggesting them now.’
In the days after the inquiry was announced, allegations about other London-based MPs claiming for second homes – including government whip Dawn Butler – have emerged.
