Given the busy few days Andrew Turner has had – PMQs, hosting DEFRA minister – it’s hardly surprising that the response from Andrew Turner hasn’t been instant to the Kelly recommendation on MPs expenses.
We’ve already reported that his partner Carole Dennett will in the future, stop working with him.
This morning he said that he welcomes the report which he found “many of the recommendations are self-evidently sensible and necessary,” hoping that the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) will implement the recommendations in full as part of the process of restoring trust in politics, despite the fact that some of them may present difficulties for individual MPs.
In his words …
“I have always voluntarily provided evidence for all expenditure – that is normal practice elsewhere. The old system allowed claims of £250 for petty cash, £400 for food, and more recently £25 per night subsistence allowance without receipts. I have not claimed for these things because I did not think they could be justified and I believe that claims under any expenses system should be supported by evidence that the money has actually been spent. I also think it is wrong that MPs should decide their own levels of pay and pensions and have voted to change this in the past. ”
“I am also pleased that Sir Christopher has recommended that the rules for the designation of second homes should be clear, unambiguous and properly policed. It simply never occurred to me that the system allowed MPs to ‘flip’ homes for personal gain, which clearly happened in some cases. Although it is reasonable to allow people up to five years to make big changes to their living arrangements, for my own part I do not intend to take advantage of the transitional period which would allow me to claim mortgage interest for up to five years. As soon as the new system for providing rented accommodation is up and running, I shall seek to transfer to it. ”
