Taxi Driver Online

There could be some embarrassing revelations for our fit and proper public officials when their travel expenses etc are made public.
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The Herald (Glasgow)

January 23, 2008 Wednesday

Order to reveal MP expense details

MEMBERS of Parliament face almost all their expenses being broken down for publication after a ruling by the UK Information Commissioner, bringing them into line with Holyrood MSPs.

Richard Thomas ordered the House of Commons to release details for six MPs' claims . . . including Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, John Prescott, Tory former leader Michael Howard and LibDem ex-leader Charles Kennedy . . . in a move expected to open up demands for all other MPs' to be published.

Allowance claims for MPs' staff, IT, stationery and cost of living away from home should be published in detail, Mr Thomas ruled. Currently, only the totals under each heading are released.

It was the slow process of forcing MSPs to declare that level of detail on travel claims that caused such difficulties for David McLetchie, the Scottish Conservative leader who was forced to resign when he was unable to account for thousands of pounds in taxi receipts.

The Commons, which originally rejected the request under the Freedom of Information Act in 2005, has 30 days to appeal against the ruling to the Information Tribunal. Commons Commissioners have challenged previous rulings, being forced by the tribunal to release travel totals and another case on MPs' second homes is still the subject of appeal.

MPs have faced criticism over expenses claims, which averaged 135,800 last year and, apart from travel, are not explained in any detail to the public.
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