Communications Allowance — establishment — 28 Mar 2007 at 15:20

The Majority voted to approve the report of the Members Estimate Committee^[1], and to establish on 1 April a Communications Allowance,^[2] for the purpose of assisting MPs with expenditure incurred in communicating with the public about Parliamentary business at the rate of £10,000 per year. This followed a preliminary vote the previous year.^[3]

The Communications Allowance is for Parliamentary, but not party political or personal business and can be used to fund regular reports and constituency newsletters, questionnaires and surveys, petitions, targeted communications, contact cards, distributions costs including direct mailing and postage, and websites.

The type of information that is allowable includes information about the Member, information about Parliament, details of how to get in touch, on-line surgeries, details of surgeries, press releases about work as a Member, links to public service and other websites, website design and maintenance, and blogs.

The type of information that it should not be used includes business activities, fund raising, promotion of a political party, or political campaigning for or against anyone in an election.

Investigations into complaints about the use of this allowance are heard (and published) by the Standards and Privileges Committee.^[4]

• [1] Members Estimate - First Report, 13 March 2007, House of Commons
• [2] MPs vote for £10,000 web funding 28 March 2007, BBC.
• [3] Division 335, 1 November 2007, House of Commons.
• [4] Standards and Privileges Committee, established 13 July 2005, House of Commons.

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