MPs' allowances — External audits and no more furniture — rejected — 3 Jul 2008 at 17:17

The majority of MPs voted against accepting recommendations 1-4, 6, 7 and 13[1] of the following recommendations made by the Members Estimate Committee.[2] See below for details of these recommendations.

They did this by replacing the motion which read:[3]

  • This House
  • welcomes the Third Report from the Members Estimate Committee: Review of Members Allowances (House of Commons Paper 578);
  • endorses in particular the recognition of the need for a robust system of scrutiny for parliamentary allowances and the accompanying emphasis in the Report on improved audit;
  • and is of the opinion that
  • Recommendations 1-5 (audit and assurance),
  • Recommendations 6 and 7 (scope of overnight expenses),
  • Recommendations 9 and 10 (Communications Allowance),
  • Recommendations 11 and 12 (travel),
  • Recommendations 13 and 14 (overnight expenses),
  • Recommendation 15 (resettlement), and
  • Recommendations 16-18 (other SSRB recommendations)
  • should be implemented, subject to decisions of the Members Estimate Committee with respect to their introduction and application;

with an alternative motion, which read:[4]

  • This House
  • welcomes the report from the Members Estimate Committee;
  • recognises the need to strengthen the system of scrutiny and is of the opinion that a rigorous internal system of audit of the Additional Costs Allowance be introduced covering 25 per cent. of hon. Members each year, and every hon. Member each Parliament;
  • and is of the opinion that Recommendations 5 (staff contracts), 8 (constituency offices), 9 and 10 (communications allowance), 11 and 12 (travel), 14 (overnight expenses), 15 (resettlement), and 16, 17 and 18 (other SSRB recommendations) be approved

The rejected recommendations are as follows:

Recommendation 1 was for a "robust new system of practice assurance involving regular financial health checks on records kept and processes used in Members' offices with outside professional teams covering about 25% of Members each year". This was substituted by a "rigorous internal system of audit".

Recommendation 2 would have extended "the scope of the audit engagement so that it is the same as for other public bodies."

Recommendation 3 would have reduced the receipt threshold from £25 to zero so that all claims, however small, would have had to be backed by receipts.

Recommendation 4 was for the Green Book (setting out the rules on allowances for Members) to be revised to specify more detailed rules.

Recommendation 6 was for MPs to no longer be able to claim reimbursement for furniture and household goods or for capital improvements.

Recommendation 7 was that MPs representing constituencies in outer London should be eligible to claim half of any overnight expenses allowance.

Recommendation 13 was for the Additional Costs Allowance to comprise of a £19,600 maximum budget for accommodation (excluding furniture, household goods and capital improvements) but operating on the basis of itemised reimbursement and a flat rate of £30 for daily subsistence.

Debate in Parliament | Source |

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All Votes Cast - sorted by vote

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party are marked in red. Also shows which MPs were ministers at the time of this vote. You can also see every eligible MP including those who did not vote in this division.

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NameConstituencyPartyVote
Nick AingerCarmarthen West and South PembrokeshireLab (minister)aye
Graham AllenNottingham NorthLabaye
Sir David AmessSouthend WestCon (front bench)aye
David AndersonBlaydonLab (minister)aye
Janet AndersonRossendale and DarwenLab (minister)aye
James ArbuthnotNorth East HampshireCon (front bench)aye
Ian AustinDudley NorthLab (minister)aye
Adrian BaileyWest Bromwich WestLab (minister)aye
Gordon BanksOchil and South PerthshireLab (minister)aye
Kevin BarronRother ValleyLab (minister)aye
Margaret BeckettDerby SouthLab (minister)aye
Henry BellinghamNorth West NorfolkCon (front bench)aye
Clive BettsSheffield, AttercliffeLab (minister)aye
Brian BinleyNorthampton SouthCon (front bench)aye
Liz BlackmanErewashLab (minister)aye
Roberta Blackman-WoodsCity of DurhamLab (minister)aye
Bob BlizzardWaveneyLab (minister)aye
David BorrowSouth RibbleLab (minister)aye
Nick BrownNewcastle upon Tyne East and WallsendLab (minister)aye
Richard BurdenBirmingham, NorthfieldLab (minister)aye
Colin BurgonElmetLabaye
Andy BurnhamLeighLab (minister)aye
John ButterfillBournemouth WestCon (front bench)aye
Stephen ByersNorth TynesideLabaye
Alan CampbellTynemouthLab (minister)aye
Ronnie CampbellBlyth ValleyLabaye
Ben ChapmanWirral SouthLab (minister)aye
David ChaytorBury NorthLab (minister)aye
Christopher ChopeChristchurchCon (front bench)aye
Tom ClarkeCoatbridge, Chryston and BellshillLab (minister)aye
David ClellandTyne BridgeLab (minister)aye
Ann ClwydCynon ValleyLab (minister)aye
Ann CoffeyStockportLab (minister)aye
Harry CohenLeyton and WansteadLab (minister)aye
Michael ConnartyLinlithgow and East FalkirkLab (minister)aye
Rosie CooperWest LancashireLab (minister)aye
Ann CryerKeighleyLab (minister)aye
John CummingsEasingtonLab (minister)aye
Jim CunninghamCoventry SouthLab (minister)aye
Tony CunninghamWorkingtonLab (minister)aye
Wayne DavidCaerphillyLab (minister)aye
Ian DavidsonGlasgow South WestLab (minister)aye
Dai DaviesBlaenau GwentIndependentaye
Janet DeanBurtonLab (minister)aye
Frank DobsonHolborn and St PancrasLabaye
Brian H DonohoeCentral AyrshireLab (minister)aye
Jim DowdLewisham WestLab (minister)aye
Angela EagleWallaseyLab (minister)aye
Maria EagleLiverpool, GarstonLab (minister)aye
Jeff EnnisBarnsley East and MexboroughLab (minister)aye
Bill EtheringtonSunderland NorthLabaye
Caroline FlintDon ValleyLab (minister)aye
Paul FlynnNewport WestLab (minister)aye
Michael FosterWorcesterLab (minister)aye
Michael Jabez FosterHastings and RyeLab (minister)aye
Mike GapesIlford SouthLab (minister)aye
Ian GibsonNorwich NorthLab (minister)aye
Linda GilroyPlymouth, SuttonLab (minister)aye
John GreenwayRyedaleConaye
Nia GriffithLlanelliLab (minister)aye
Andrew GwynneDenton and ReddishLab (minister)aye
Mike HallWeaver ValeLab (minister)aye
David HamiltonMidlothianLab (minister)aye
Dai HavardMerthyr Tydfil and RhymneyLab (minister)aye
Stephen HesfordWirral WestLab (minister)aye
Sharon HodgsonGateshead East and Washington WestLab (minister)aye
Jimmy HoodLanark and Hamilton EastLab (minister)aye
George HowarthKnowsley North and Sefton EastLab (minister)aye
Gerald HowarthAldershotCon (front bench)aye
Beverley HughesStretford and UrmstonLab (minister)aye
Joan HumbleBlackpool North and FleetwoodLab (minister)aye
Brian IddonBolton South EastLab (minister)aye
Eric IllsleyBarnsley CentralLab (minister)aye
Adam IngramEast Kilbride, Strathaven and LesmahagowLabaye
Bernard JenkinNorth EssexCon (front bench)aye
Brian JenkinsTamworthLab (minister)aye
Diana R. JohnsonKingston upon Hull NorthLab (minister)aye
Helen JonesWarrington NorthLab (minister)tellaye
Kevan JonesNorth DurhamLab (minister)aye
Martyn JonesClwyd SouthLab (minister)aye
Tessa JowellDulwich and West NorwoodLab (minister)aye
Eric JoyceFalkirkLab (minister)aye
Alan KeenFeltham and HestonLab (minister)aye
David KidneyStaffordLab (minister)aye
Peter KilfoyleLiverpool, WaltonLabaye
Julie KirkbrideBromsgroveCon (front bench)aye
Eleanor LaingEpping ForestCon (front bench)aye
Bob LaxtonDerby NorthLab (minister)aye
Tom LevittHigh PeakLab (minister)aye
Ivan LewisBury SouthLab (minister)aye
Tony LloydManchester CentralLab (minister)aye
Ian LucasWrexhamLab (minister)aye
Andrew MacKayBracknellCon (front bench)aye
Denis MacShaneRotherhamLabaye
Khalid MahmoodBirmingham, Perry BarrLabaye
Rob MarrisWolverhampton South WestLab (minister)aye
Gordon MarsdenBlackpool SouthLabaye
Thomas McAvoyRutherglen and Hamilton WestLab (minister)aye
Steve McCabeBirmingham, Hall GreenLab (minister)aye
Chris McCaffertyCalder ValleyLabaye
Kerry McCarthyBristol EastLab (minister)aye
Sarah McCarthy-FryPortsmouth NorthLab (minister)aye
Siobhain McDonaghMitcham and MordenLab (minister)aye
Jim McGovernDundee WestLab (minister)aye
Anne McGuireStirlingLab (minister)aye
Anne McIntoshVale of YorkCon (front bench)aye
Shona McIsaacCleethorpesLabaye
Rosemary McKennaCumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch EastLab (minister)aye
Tony McNultyHarrow EastLab (minister)aye
Alan MealeMansfieldLabaye
Gillian MerronLincolnLab (minister)aye
Andrew MillerEllesmere Port and NestonLab (minister)aye
Anne MoffatEast LothianLab (minister)tellaye
Madeleine MoonBridgendLab (minister)aye
Jessica MordenNewport EastLab (minister)aye
Elliot MorleyScunthorpeLabaye
George MudieLeeds EastLab (minister)aye
Denis MurphyWansbeckLab (minister)aye
Paul MurphyTorfaenLab (minister)aye
Mike O'BrienNorth WarwickshireLab (minister)aye
Edward O'HaraKnowsley SouthLab (minister)aye
Sandra OsborneAyr, Carrick and CumnockLab (minister)aye
James PlaskittWarwick and LeamingtonLab (minister)aye
Bridget PrenticeLewisham EastLab (minister)aye
Gordon PrenticePendleLab (minister)aye
Gwyn ProsserDoverLab (minister)aye
Ken PurchaseWolverhampton North EastLab (minister)aye
Nick RaynsfordGreenwich and WoolwichLabaye
John RobertsonGlasgow North WestLab (minister)aye
Terry RooneyBradford NorthLab (minister)aye
Andrew RosindellRomfordCon (front bench)aye
Chris RuaneVale of ClwydLab (minister)aye
Christine RussellCity of ChesterLab (minister)aye
Alison SeabeckPlymouth, DevonportLab (minister)aye
Barry SheermanHuddersfieldLab (minister)aye
Jim SheridanPaisley and Renfrewshire NorthLab (minister)aye
Angela SmithBasildonLab (minister)aye
Angela SmithSheffield, HillsboroughLab (minister)aye
Jacqui SmithRedditchLab (minister)aye
Anne SnelgroveSouth SwindonLab (minister)aye
John SpellarWarleyLabaye
Phyllis StarkeyMilton Keynes South WestLab (minister)aye
Gavin StrangEdinburgh EastLab (minister)aye
Gisela StuartBirmingham, EdgbastonLab (minister)aye
Gerry SutcliffeBradford SouthLab (minister)aye
Hugo SwireEast DevonConaye
Mark TamiAlyn and DeesideLab (minister)aye
Peter TapsellLouth and HorncastleConaye
Gareth ThomasHarrow WestLab (minister)aye
Emily ThornberryIslington South and FinsburyLab (minister)aye
Don TouhigIslwynLab (minister)aye
Derek TwiggHaltonLab (minister)aye
Kitty UssherBurnleyLab (minister)aye
Keith VazLeicester EastLab (minister)aye
Lynda WalthoStourbridgeLab (minister)aye
Claire WardWatfordLab (minister)aye
Robert WareingLiverpool, West Derbywhilst Independentaye
Angela WatkinsonUpminsterCon (front bench)aye
Tom WatsonWest Bromwich EastLab (minister)aye
Dave WattsSt Helens NorthLab (minister)aye
Ann WiddecombeMaidstone and The WealdConaye
David WilshireSpelthorneCon (front bench)aye
Phil WilsonSedgefieldLab (minister)aye
Ann WintertonCongletonCon (front bench)aye
Nicholas WintertonMacclesfieldCon (front bench)aye
Rosie WintertonDoncaster CentralLab (minister)aye
Shaun WoodwardSt Helens SouthLab (minister)aye
Phil WoolasOldham East and SaddleworthLab (minister)aye
David WrightTelfordLab (minister)aye
Iain WrightHartlepoolLab (minister)aye
Derek WyattSittingbourne and SheppeyLab (minister)aye
Danny AlexanderInverness, Nairn, Badenoch and StrathspeyLDem (front bench)no
Richard BaconSouth NorfolkCon (front bench)no
Vera BairdRedcarLab (minister)no
Norman BakerLewesLDem (front bench)no
Edward BallsNormantonLab (minister)no
Hugh BayleyCity of YorkLab (minister)no
Anne BeggAberdeen SouthLab (minister)no
Alan BeithBerwick-upon-TweedLDem (front bench)no
Stuart BellMiddlesbroughLab (minister)no
Roger BerryKingswoodLab (minister)no
Peter BoneWellingboroughCon (front bench)no
Tim BoswellDaventryCon (front bench)no
Peter BottomleyWorthing WestCon (front bench)no
Ben BradshawExeterLab (minister)no
Graham BradyAltrincham and Sale WestCon (front bench)no
Julian BrazierCanterburyCon (front bench)no
Kevin BrennanCardiff WestLab (minister)no
Annette BrookeMid Dorset and North PooleLDem (front bench)no
Des BrowneKilmarnock and LoudounLab (minister)no
Angela BrowningTiverton and HonitonCon (front bench)no
Malcolm BruceGordonLDem (front bench)no
Chris BryantRhonddaLab (minister)no
David BurrowesEnfield, SouthgateCon (front bench)no
Paul BurstowSutton and CheamLDem (front bench)no
Alistair BurtNorth East BedfordshireCon (front bench)no
Liam ByrneBirmingham, Hodge HillLab (minister)no
Vincent CableTwickenhamLDem (front bench)no
David CameronWitneyCon (front bench)no
Alistair CarmichaelOrkney and ShetlandLDem (front bench)no
Katy ClarkNorth Ayrshire and ArranLab (minister)no
Kenneth ClarkeRushcliffeCon (front bench)no
Yvette CooperPontefract and CastlefordLab (minister)no
Jeremy CorbynIslington NorthLabno
Mary CreaghWakefieldLab (minister)no
David CurrySkipton and RiponCon (front bench)no
Edward DaveyKingston and SurbitonLDem (front bench)no
John DenhamSouthampton, ItchenLab (minister)no
Alan DuncanRutland and MeltonCon (front bench)no
Philip DunneLudlowCon (front bench)no
Clive EffordElthamLab (minister)no
Nigel EvansRibble ValleyConno
Michael FallonSevenoaksCon (front bench)no
Mark FieldCities of London and WestminsterCon (front bench)no
Jim FitzpatrickPoplar and Canning TownLab (minister)no
Don FosterBathLDem (front bench)no
Liam FoxWoodspringCon (front bench)no
Edward GarnierHarboroughCon (front bench)no
David GaukeSouth West HertfordshireCon (front bench)no
Andrew GeorgeSt IvesLDem (front bench)no
Neil GerrardWalthamstowLab (minister)no
Dame Cheryl GillanChesham and AmershamCon (front bench)no
Paul GogginsWythenshawe and Sale EastLab (minister)no
Julia GoldsworthyFalmouth and CamborneLDem (front bench)no
Helen GoodmanBishop AucklandLab (minister)no
Robert GoodwillScarborough and WhitbyCon (front bench)no
Chris GraylingEpsom and EwellCon (front bench)no
Damian GreenAshfordCon (front bench)no
Justine GreeningPutneyCon (front bench)no
Dominic GrieveBeaconsfieldCon (front bench)no
John GroganSelbyLab (minister)no
William HagueRichmond (Yorks)Con (front bench)no
Patrick HallBedfordLab (minister)no
Philip HammondRunnymede and WeybridgeCon (front bench)no
Mike HancockPortsmouth SouthLDem (front bench)no
Harriet HarmanCamberwell and PeckhamLab (minister)no
Evan HarrisOxford West and AbingdonLDem (front bench)no
Nick HarveyNorth DevonLDem (front bench)tellno
John HayesSouth Holland and The DeepingsCon (front bench)no
John HealeyWentworthLab (minister)no
Charles HendryWealdenCon (front bench)no
Nick HerbertArundel and South DownsCon (front bench)no
Margaret HodgeBarkingLab (minister)no
Philip HolloboneKetteringCon (front bench)no
Paul HolmesChesterfieldLDem (front bench)no
Kelvin HopkinsLuton NorthLab (minister)no
Martin HorwoodCheltenhamLDem (front bench)no
Stewart HosieDundee EastSNP (front bench)no
David HowarthCambridgeLDem (front bench)no
Simon HughesNorth Southwark and BermondseyLDem (front bench)no
Christopher HuhneEastleighLDem (front bench)no
Mark HunterCheadleLDem (front bench)no
Sally KeebleNorthampton NorthLab (minister)no
Paul KeetchHerefordLDem (front bench)no
Robert KeySalisburyCon (front bench)no
Susan KramerRichmond ParkLDem (front bench)no
Norman LambNorth NorfolkLDem (front bench)no
Mark LancasterNorth East Milton KeynesCon (front bench)no
Mark LazarowiczEdinburgh North and LeithLab (minister)no
Oliver LetwinWest DorsetCon (front bench)no
Ian Liddell-GraingerBridgwaterCon (front bench)no
David LidingtonAylesburyCon (front bench)no
Martin LintonBatterseaLab (minister)no
Peter LuffMid WorcestershireCon (front bench)no
David MacleanPenrith and The BorderCon (front bench)tellno
Fiona MactaggartSloughLab (minister)no
Judy MallaberAmber ValleyLab (minister)no
John MannBassetlawLab (minister)no
John MaplesStratford-on-AvonCon (front bench)no
Eric MartlewCarlisleLab (minister)no
Francis MaudeHorshamCon (front bench)no
Theresa MayMaidenheadCon (front bench)no
Patrick McLoughlinWest DerbyshireCon (front bench)no
Andrew MitchellSutton ColdfieldCon (front bench)no
Laura MoffattCrawleyLab (minister)no
Chris MoleIpswichLab (minister)no
Julie MorganCardiff NorthLab (minister)no
Greg MulhollandLeeds North WestLDem (front bench)no
Chris MullinSunderland SouthLab (minister)no
Jim MurphyEast RenfrewshireLab (minister)no
Andrew MurrisonWestburyCon (front bench)no
George OsborneTattonCon (front bench)no
Nick PalmerBroxtoweLab (minister)no
Steve PoundEaling NorthLab (minister)no
James PurnellStalybridge and HydeLab (minister)no
John RandallUxbridgeCon (front bench)no
Alan ReidArgyll and ButeLDem (front bench)no
Andrew RobathanBlabyCon (front bench)no
Geoffrey RobinsonCoventry North WestLabno
Joan RuddockLewisham, DeptfordLab (minister)no
Bob RussellColchesterLDem (front bench)no
Andrew SelousSouth West BedfordshireCon (front bench)no
Dennis SkinnerBolsoverLab (minister)no
Robert SmithWest Aberdeenshire and KincardineLDem (front bench)no
Michael SpicerWest WorcestershireCon (front bench)no
Jack StrawBlackburnLab (minister)no
Andrew StunellHazel GroveLDemno
Desmond SwayneNew Forest WestCon (front bench)no
Ian TaylorEsher and WaltonConno
Matthew TaylorTruro and St AustellLDemno
Sarah TeatherBrent EastLDem (front bench)no
Stephen TimmsEast HamLab (minister)no
Shailesh VaraNorth West CambridgeshireCon (front bench)no
Peter ViggersGosportCon (front bench)no
Michael WeirAngusSNP (front bench)no
Malcolm WicksCroydon NorthLab (minister)no
Mark WilliamsCeredigionLDem (front bench)no
Roger WilliamsBrecon and RadnorshireLDem (front bench)no
Stephen WilliamsBristol WestLDem (front bench)no
Phil WillisHarrogate and KnaresboroughLDem (front bench)no
Jennifer WillottCardiff CentralLDem (front bench)no
Michael WillsNorth SwindonLab (minister)no
David WinnickWalsall NorthLab (minister)no
George YoungNorth West HampshireCon (front bench)no
Barbara FollettStevenageLab (minister)both
Peter SoulsbyLeicester SouthLab (minister)both
Bob SpinkCastle Pointwhilst UKIP (front bench)both

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