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Burstow calls for reform of MPs' expenses
April 7, 2009 6:04 PM
Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, has signed a parliamentary motion calling for the abolition of the second home allowance for London MPs.
Mr Burstow has never claimed money for a second home choosing instead to commute to Westminster on a daily basis.
Controversy has been provoked by the publication of MPs' expenses which has re-opened the row about what MPs should be allowed to claim as expenses.
Commenting, Paul Burstow MP said: "A minority of MPs have abused the rules. No MP representing a London constituency should be able to claim for a second home.
"I have never claimed the second home allowance and have voted to tighten up the rules on every occasion.
What is less well known is that most 'expenses' claimed by MPs are actually the costs of paying staff and running an office and not payments to MPs themselves.
'By far my biggest cost is employing staff. I have a full-time researcher in Westminster, and a small team in my constituency office who help me with my correspondence. All my staff play an essential role in helping me do my job of representing the people of Sutton, Cheam, Worcester Park and Belmont as best I can.
'My other major expense is the cost of running my constituency office on Sutton High Street which is rented and for which there are all the usual costs such as phone bills, equipment, heating etc.
'The current system is not fit for purpose it undermines public trust. I have consistently voted for greater transparency in the expenses system, for the abolition of the 'John Lewis list' and for independent scrutiny of MPs' finances, motions which have all been defeated by a majority of Labour MPs.
'These latest scandals are causing outrage and frustration both inside and outside of Parliament. Reform is long overdue and urgently needed.'
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