Hexham MP Man Opperman claims £28,000 in journey bills – probably the most of any Tory MP
A Northumberland MP claimed the best journey bills within the Conservative Occasion, based on new knowledge.
The most recent figures launched by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority reveal which MPs throughout the UK have been claiming probably the most on journey bills within the newest monetary yr (2021/2022).
Guy Opperman, MP for Hexham, had the best bills within the Conservative Occasion, claiming £28,789 – solely overwhelmed total by Lib Dem Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) claiming £31,572 price of bills this annum, inserting him on the prime of the record.
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MPs are allowed to assert for journey prices that are in help of the MPs’ parliamentary features. This will embody MPs whose constituencies are exterior of London who’re allowed to assert for the price of travelling between their constituency and Westminster.
Journey bills for Members of Parliament claimed embody air journey, congestion cost and toll, mileage (bicycle, automobile and motorbike), parking, rail journey, automobile rent price and different public transport.
All of the MPs featured within the prime 10 highest claimed bills are based mostly in Scotland and the North of England, suggesting they might journey lengthy distances at an everyday fee.
The figures compiled by automobile leasing firm, Choose Automobile Leasing present John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk CC) and Andrew Bowie (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine CC), fill the second and third highest expense claims for the Conservative Occasion totalling £22,316 and £17,943 respectively.
Labour adopted with the second largest whole quantity claimed for journey bills (£420,000), with 101 MPs making a complete of seven,962 claims, averaging at £3,440 per MP. Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley CC) claimed probably the most journey bills throughout the Labour Occasion – 45th highest total – with a complete of £8,812 within the final yr.
Surprisingly, regardless of solely having two members declare, the Alba Occasion nonetheless accrued over £20,000 price of journey bills, making it the fifth highest total.
Six members of the present cupboard together with newly appointed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak claimed no journey bills within the final yr.
However it was revealed Alister Jack, Secretary of State for Scotland claimed probably the most of any present cupboard member, inserting £13,558 on bills, with over £8,700 spent on rail journey alone.
That is over £2,500 greater than every other present cupboard member and £11,000 greater than the UK’s average full-time commuter.
Following intently in second place is newly appointed Legal professional Basic Victoria Prentis, claiming £10,694 price of journey bills. In third place, Johnny Mercer, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs has claimed over £9,100 price of journey bills, with over £5,200 on automobile mileage alone.
Notably, out of the present cupboard’s 31 members, 30 of the highest bills consisted of both automobile mileage or rail/railcard claims. Thérèse Coffey, Secretary of State for Atmosphere, Meals and Rural Affairs, appeared the anomaly having claimed £342.50 on congestion prices, making her the one member with this prime expense.
Moreover, John Nicholson (Ochil and South Perthshire) claimed virtually £2,400 on enterprise class flights for under six journeys.
Mr Opperman didn’t reply to requests for remark.
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