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Steve Webb MP: expense claims

First quarter of 2008/09

The following is a list of the allowances which MPs can claim, a brief explanation of what each is for, and a report of the money I claimed under each heading in the first quarter of 2008/09.

a) Additional Costs Allowance (ACA)

MPs spend about half of their week in the constituency and half in Westminster. With debates and votes routinely finishing at around 10pm, MPs can claim the costs of somewhere to stay in London, up to an annual limit. I have a one-bedroom flat in Westminster and I spend this allowance on the interest on the mortgage on this flat, as well as on other costs associated with the flat (mainly the compulsory service charge). In the first quarter of 2008/09 I claimed (and spent) £5232. The maximum I could have claimed was £6000.

b) Incidental Expenses Provision (formerly ‘office costs allowance’)

I run an office at Westminster and an office in the constituency at Poole Court, Yate. By far the biggest costs under this heading are the annual rent and business rates that I pay for the constituency office. This allowance also covers things like phone bills, office equipment (eg fax machines, copiers, printers etc.) and consumables (eg printer cartridges). In the first quarter of 2008/09 I claimed (and spent) £5279, of which around £4000 was for office rental and business rates.

c) Staffing

I employ staff in the constituency and in Westminster to help me provide a good service to constituents and to contribute effectively to debates and discussions in Parliament. When I am at Westminster my staff in the constituency office are very often the first port of call for local people and often act on my behalf contacting government bodies etc. to help resolve problems. My constituency office team work a variety of hours and days of the week, but I employ approximately 2.2 full-time equivalent staff in the constituency and 1 full time staff member in London. The cost of employing office staff, including employer NI contributions, was £25,323 in the first quarter of 2008/09.

d) Communications Allowance

Since 2007/08 MPs have been allocated an allowance towards the costs of communicating with local residents, beyond simply replying to incoming correspondence. The content of such communications is approved by the House of Commons authorities before it is issued and must relate to Parliamentary matters. I have used this allowance for surveys of households, including the cost of a Freepost reply service for local residents, and also for letters to residents providing information about issues such as pensions. In the first quarter of 2008/09, I claimed (and spent) £1,822 under this heading.

e) Travel

In the first quarter of 2008/09 my travel costs were £2031, of which nearly 90% was the cost of rail fares between the constituency and Westminster.

I hope that this information is helpful.  Please email me if you would like a more detailed breakdown of these figures.

Steve Webb MP
July 2008