News Archive

22/05/2009

REMINDER: Roberta voluntarily discloses her parliamentary expenses

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Roberta is taking legal action against the Liberal Democrats for smearing her record on expenses.

Roberta has always been open and honest including putting all the details of her expenses on her website.

The Liberal Democrats are claiming that she was forced to repay money.  THIS IS NOT TRUE.  Click here to download a letter from the House of Commons authorities which make this clear.

 

Instead of trusting what the Lib Dems say on Roberta's expenses as MP, use the information here on this website.

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To access Roberta's receipts as published by the House of Commons please click here

 

 

I have always been open, honest and transparent about the expenses and allowances I have claimed since serving as Durham's MP.  I have had details of my expenses on my website for many years.

I believe this is the right thing to do, and I support the publication of claims under the Freedom of Information Act which will take place in the coming weeks.  I also think the FOI Act should apply to MPs and their offices and that the original Act should have included MPs in its remit.

My main home is in Durham.  On being elected MP, I bought a small, one bedroom flat in London to use when I am required in Westminster, which is normally Monday to Thursday each week when Parliament is sitting, although very occasionally I stay in London on Fridays too.  I claim mortgage interest payments, but not capital repayments, for this flat through the House of Commons.  I believe this arrangement represents good value for money for the tax-payer because if I were to rent my property, given its location in Central London, it would cost £1800 per month, but I currently claim only around £200 per month for mortgage interest payments. Because it is only the mortgage INTEREST that I claim for, this amount fluctuates based on interest rates. The current low interest rate is the reason the amount currently claimed is lower than in previous years.

I also claim for bills relating to my London flat such as Council Tax and utilities.  I would remind my constituents that I do, of course, cover all bills myself for my main home in Durham.

When I bought my flat I also bought the following items which I thought were essential:

Bedstead	£649
Mattress	£479
Bedside cabinet	£299
2 sofas	£1,574
Bedding	£200

 

 

 

 

 

 

All other items I bought personally AND DID NOT CLAIM FOR, even though some of them may have fallen into the 'essential' category.  Items I purchased personally include:

• Television
• Crockery and cutlery
• White Goods
• Soft furnishings
• All other furniture

In terms of expenditure relating to the running of my office in Durham, aside from stationary and office equipment, I arranged for a TV and sky aerial so that my staff could access BBC Parliament in order to be aware of what is happening in Westminster.  Please note, the service we get is 'Freesat', and is not a subscription package.  It was necessary to install Freesat as Freeview could not be received in the office.  The costs associated with this were as follows:

Television	Paid by me: £200.50
	Paid using IEP: £199
Freesat Sky dish	£150

While I am in Westminster, in common with other public and private sector organisations, I claim subsistence of £25 per day for working away from my main home.

I believe MPs should abide by the spirit as well as the letter of the ‘Green Book' in only purchasing what is essential to carry out the job effectively and to provide a good and professional level of service to the public.  I believe I have always done that.  The office deals with about 2,500 people and their individual issues every year and we know from your feedback that people are pleased with the quality and professional nature of the service we provide.

I am disturbed by some MPs' claims which have been reported in the media which, I think, go well beyond what is necessary.

I have already voted to change the current system and I am looking forward to Sir Christopher Kelly's report into MPs' expenses which I hope will bring in a new system which inspires public confidence.

My constituents can rest assured that I will continue to work hard for Durham and I will continue to concentrate on the policy areas which really matter to people such as employment and jobs, housing, education, skills and training.

 

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This is a fully-updated (April 2009) list of Roberta's allowances and expenses claimed since 2005

 

Roberta is a very active MP.  She has to travel back and forth from Westminster every week and she believes that communication with constituents is extremely important.

 

A great deal of what is reported as being 'expenses' is actually staffing costs.  Roberta believes that having a properly-staffed office is very important, and many constituents have been in touch to say how grateful they are for the service that Roberta's staff offer.  Roberta runs a busy office and we have helped over 10,000 constituents with their queries and concerns.

 

All of these allowances are for legitimate costs associated with serving as Durham's MP and Roberta has published them here voluntarily.  This list contains additional information about Roberta's "Additional Cost Allowance" which is what she claims in order to stay away from her main home when in Westminster.

 

If any constituent has more questions about these allowances or would like further explanation then please do get in touch.

 

 2005 - 2006

 

 

Additional Costs Allowance	£19,956.79
London Supplement	£0
Incidental Expenses Provision	£19,980
Staffing Allowance	£62,363
Members' Travel	£12,050
Members' Staff Travel	£1,137
Members' Spouse Travel	N/A
Members' Family Travel	N/A
Centrally Purchased Stationery	£2,233
Stationery: Associated Postage Costs	£5,716
Centrally Provided Computer Equipment	£1,089
Other Costs	£0
Total	£124,524.79

Of the Additional Cost Allowance
Mortgage interest & Rent:	£7,598.93
Stamp duty and professional services	£9,425.19
Bills & Food:	£2,101.45
Council tax	£376.22
Furniture & Household Bills:	£455
Total claimed under ACA:	£19,956.79
Other household expenses paid by me:	£3,594.54
I personally paid for all service charges for my London flat in this year amounting to £1094.54.  This amount was NOT claimed for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2006 - 2007

 

Additional Costs Allowance	£22,143.62
London Supplement	£0
Incidental Expenses Provision	£19,948
Staffing Allowance	£74,591
Members' Travel	£11,498
Members' Staff Travel	£154
Members' Spouse Travel	N/A
Members' Family Travel	N/A
Centrally Purchased Stationery	£1,816
Stationery: Associated Postage Costs	£3,742
Centrally Provided Computer Equipment	£1,089
Other Costs	£0
Total	£134,981.62

Of the Additional Cost Allowance
Mortgage interest	£12,174.91
Service Charge	£2,626.90
Council Tax	£1,289.01
TV Licence	£131.50
Other Bills & Food	£3,569.30
Furniture & Household Bills	£2,352
Total claimed under ACA	£22,143.62
Other household expenses paid by me	£1,440.43

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2007 - 2008

 

Additional Cost Allowance	£23,085.63
London supplement	£0
Office running costs	£19,063
Staffing costs	£84,254
Centrally purchased stationery	£2,251
Associated postage costs	£2,116
Central IT provision	£1,124
Staff cover & other costs	£0
Communications allowance	£11,873

 

007-8 Travel costs	Mileage	£1,680
	Rail	£11,741
	Air	£441

 

Of the Additional Cost Allowance
Mortgage interest	£14,569.12
Service Charge	£2876.33
Council Tax	£835.07
TV Licence	£135.50
Food & Household Bills	£3,979.61
Furniture	£690
Total claimed under ACA	£23,085.63

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2008 - 2009

 

Additional Cost Allowance
Mortgage interest	£11,933.29*
Subsistence	£3,300
Electricity Bills	£527.00
Service Charge	£3,983.40**
TV Licence	£139.50
Council Tax	£1,132.18
Furniture	£632.50
Total claimed under ACA	£21,647.87

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Roberta re-paid £1330.03 mortgage interest at the end of the year when reconciling her annual mortgage bill.

**The service charges figure is unusually high because it covers a 15 month period. 

 

 

8 February 2010

NOTE:  The Guardian newspaper has issued a retraction and correction about a story mentioning my expenses.  Please see below the full correction.

 *  In a set of graphics showing various aspects of MPs' costs, allowances and expenses,  Roberta Blackman-Woods , City of Durham Labour MP, was listed among the 10 highest claimants of 2008-09, at £183,993 (Who claimed the most? 5 February, page 4). This was taken from parliamentary figures issued for members' allowance expenditure, which in this case proved incorrect and was later amended to £169,677.

 

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