Thursday, July 21, 2011
The case of the Peers and their expenses
Today's Telegraph reports that attempts to reform the expense regime for the House of Lords has rather backfired on the Government with the average sum received by members rising from £270 to £274 for every attendance:
The new system was put in place last October following a series of scandals that resulted in two peers being jailed. The £174 overnight subsistence, £86.50 day subsistence and £75 office costs allowances were scrapped in favour of a tax-free flat rate of £300 per day, or £150 per half day. Travel expenses were reimbursed separately as previously.
Unveiling the system, Lord Strathclyde, the Leader of the Upper House, said it would be “cheaper to run, less bureaucratic to comply with, simpler to police and far, far harder to abuse”.
However, the figures indicated a rise in costs over the first six months of the scheme. Altogether, £5.86 million was paid out in attendance allowance between January and March this year. Another £531,000 was refunded for travel costs.
Some of this increase in cost is down to the extra peers appointed by the UK Government. However, what it does illustrate in my view is that you cannot have a legislature on the cheap.
What is important is that if members are going to be receiving public money in this way then they should be accountable for it. That is why it is essential that the Government's reforms are implemented quickly and we put in place a fully elected second chamber.
The new system was put in place last October following a series of scandals that resulted in two peers being jailed. The £174 overnight subsistence, £86.50 day subsistence and £75 office costs allowances were scrapped in favour of a tax-free flat rate of £300 per day, or £150 per half day. Travel expenses were reimbursed separately as previously.
Unveiling the system, Lord Strathclyde, the Leader of the Upper House, said it would be “cheaper to run, less bureaucratic to comply with, simpler to police and far, far harder to abuse”.
However, the figures indicated a rise in costs over the first six months of the scheme. Altogether, £5.86 million was paid out in attendance allowance between January and March this year. Another £531,000 was refunded for travel costs.
Some of this increase in cost is down to the extra peers appointed by the UK Government. However, what it does illustrate in my view is that you cannot have a legislature on the cheap.
What is important is that if members are going to be receiving public money in this way then they should be accountable for it. That is why it is essential that the Government's reforms are implemented quickly and we put in place a fully elected second chamber.
Comments:
<< Home
£300????????????????? What the hell re they being paid such a ridiculous amount each day for???? And they wonder why we think theyre out of touch!!!
Post a Comment
# posted by 
: 4:58 PM
: 4:58 PM
<< Home
