Parliamentary Expenses

The following information provides details of how much it cost in the year 2006/07 to run my offices in Westminster and Winchmore Hill and to do my job as an MP.

Property - I own one property in Southgate. I do not rent or own accommodation in London and I claimed the London supplement of £2,712.

Travel - Most of my travel is by tube between Southgate or Arnos Grove and London. In the Summer I use a pushbike around the constituency, otherwise a car is used and costs are not usually claimed for these modes of transport although in 2006/07 I claimed £18 for tube station car parking charges.

I use taxis to get home from the tube station late at night when no buses are available at a total cost of £319.40 this year.

I made two European trips to Stockholm - £502 and Nicosia - £863 at a total cost of £1,366 which included flights, accommodation and subsistence.

Constituency Office costs - I do not rent office space from anyone with connections to me or my family. Rent for my constituency office has been determined at the open market rate of £7,000.
Constituency office costs in Winchmore Hill include rent, council tax, telephones, electricity, insurance, repair and maintenance, stationery plus the usual office costs.

Staffing - My constituency office is staffed 5 days a week throughout the year, although the office is closed between Christmas and New Year. Occasionally my constituency staff work on Saturdays in the office. Staff also attend my Saturday drop-in surgery at the end of each month.
My Westminster office is staffed from Monday to Friday and again is closed between Christmas and New Year.

All my staff were paid the appropriate Parliamentary rates.

I employ my sister part time in the constituency office as a caseworker and secretary. She works 15 hours a week and was paid £7,208.29 in 2006/07.

My expenses for 2006/7 are as follows (published 24th October 2007).
Amount spent Rank*
1. Cost of staying away from main home £0 n/a
2. London Supplement £2,712 n/a
3. Office running costs (IEP)
£21,856 190
4. Staffing costs £85,580 275
5. Members' travel allowance 5a Car £18 586
5b 3rd party £0 66
5c Rail and tube £866 433
5d Air £0 245
5e Bicycle & Other £0 n/a
5f European £1,366 23
6. Members' staff travel £7 n/a
7. Centrally purchased stationery £1,756 122
7a. Stationery: associated postage costs £3,825 208
8. Central IT provision £1,082 n/a
9. Staff cover & other costs £572 71

*(The rank is in relation to other MPs' expenses):
You can find the information for all MPs on the http://www.parliament.uk/