£10,000 cost of MP second homes

Paul Rowen

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Former Rochdale MP Paul Rowen and current Labour MP for Heywood and Middleton Jim Dobbin claimed a combined total of £9217.23 for second-home costs.

The House of Commons last night published the details of claims made under the second-home allowance, office running costs, non-payroll staffing and communications allowances to the end of 2009.

These costs were part of a sum of just short of fifty thousand pounds claimed between them from April to December 2009, Mr Rowen receiving allowances of £29,784.16 and Mr Dobbin £19,584.46.

The second-home allowance, paid to reimburse MPs for “necessary” costs incurred when staying overnight away from their main home revealed Rochdale MP Paul Rowen claimed £7411.18 and Heywood and Middleton MP Jim Dobbin £2,050.63.

Mr Rowen spent £10,978.27 in office costs, whilst Mr Dobbin claimed £11,229.01. Their respective communications allowances were £9,434.50 and £6,549.40.

Mr Dobbin spent nothing on non-payroll staffing whereas Mr Rowen claimed £1,960.21.
The expenses scandal last year left many MPs across the country red-faced and having to pay back money to the tax payer after claiming items ranging from a duck house, to moat cleaning to tens of thousands of pounds on an interior designer for their second homes.

New rules governing allowances came into force at the election. New MPs can only rent accommodation — aimed at stopping people making a profit from the sale of their second property.

MPs who already own taxpayer-funded second homes will be able to keep claiming until August, 2012, for mortgage interest until they sell the property and profits made on the sale will be recouped.

The subsistence allowance has also been scrapped and now MPs can claim up to £15 for a meal with a receipt when the Commons sits later than 7.30pm.

In a surprise move the Commons authorities did not publish receipts submitted by MPs and said they would be released at a later date.

The information also reveals David Cameron — then Opposition leader — claimed £8,205.53 in costs for running his constituency home in Witney between July and December.