Andrew Mitchell MP defends childrens’ travel expenses claim
Birmingham MP Andrew Mitchell has defended his expenses claims after it emerged he claimed for the cost of his children’s travel between London and a Nottinghamshire town close to a constituency he used to represent.
Under House of Commons rules, MPs are allowed to claim for the cost of travel between London and their constituency – and to claim for their family if they go with them.
But Mr Mitchell (Con Sutton Coldfield) claimed “on four or five occasions” for the cost of his two daughters to travel between London and Newark in Nottinghamshire, where the family sometimes stays at weekends.
The MP represented nearby Gedling in Nottinghamshire between 1987 and 1997 before losing his seat. He became MP for Sutton Coldfield in 2001.
He said he believed at the time that the claim was acceptable, because the cost was no more than the cost of travel between London and Birmingham – which he was allowed to claim.
But the Commons fees office queried the arrangement in 2005.
He then stopped claiming for his daughters’ travel to Nottinghamshire but has not repaid the money. The girls went to school in London at the time.
Further details of his claims have been uncovered by a national newspaper which has obtained copies of receipts submitted by every MP.
They reveal that Mr Mitchell reclaimed the cost of furniture for his home in Sutton Coldfield, which was delivered to an address in London.
