MP's expenses: How Midlands MPs claimed
“I had my rule of thumb, which was that I should be able to have somewhere that was reasonably comfortable and of a similar standard to what I had in Birmingham.”
The Mail approached MPs in Birmingham, Solihull and Meriden, asking to see their receipts. Some agreed to show them to us, while others provided only summaries.
Lorely Burt (Lib Dem, Solihull) and Clare Short (Ind Lab, Ladywood) have arranged to allow us to see their claims next week.
Mr Hemming’s Tesco bill included a £1.51 Flash cleaning spray, a 95p bottle of Fairy Liquid and a pack of 52p scouring pads.
He has already announced he is to stop claiming the second home allowance available to MPs.
Other details of his expenses claims included a request for £388.99 for a mobile internet service in 2007, which was rejected.
Mr Hemming then tried to claim for a digital television which also functioned as a basic computer and was able to send e-mails, for £1,569.95.
Again, this claim was rejected, apparently because MPs are not allowed to claim expenses for computer equipment on their second home allowance.
But the fees office did pay £750 towards the cost, because Mr Hemming was allowed to claim for a television. The office also repaid the £70.95 cost of a television aerial.
Defending her claim for the satellite navigation system, Ms Spelman said: “I often have to go to Birmingham to meet organisations which affect my constituency, such as the West Midlands Regional Health Authority or the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority.
“I find it difficult to find my way around Birmingham, because I don’t really live there.”
The Mail’s survey also revealed Gisela Stuart (Lab, Edgbaston) claimed £272 for shower taps and attachment in November 2006, £180 for a shower head and plumbing in February 2007, and £250 for a bath mixer tap in January last year.
She said: “I bought a house and worked my way through decorating it.”
MPs are waiting for the Commons authorities to finish the task of blanking out personal details, so receipts can be made available for the public to view.
But many decided not to wait for the official publication as they were anxious to prove they were being as open as possible.
None of the claims the Mail examined came close to the worst excesses revealed in recent days, which have included two MPs - former Labour Minister Elliot Morley and Labour backbencher David Chaytor - who claimed subsidies for mortgages which did not exist.
We focused on the Additional Cost Allowance, which is used by MPs to pay for second homes, including interest on a mortgage or rent, repairs, furniture, council tax and food.
Other allowances pay for staffing costs, transport and publicity material.
