Expenses

I am a full time politician and live in the heart of the constituency. While I was a Member of Parliament I, like many other Members I would leave the House of Commons late at night, often after 11pm, and return early in the morning normally by 8am. Therefore, Members are provided with provision for accommodation in London, particularly those from further a field. .

In recent weeks, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), recommended that provision for accommodation in London should be made for the Member of Parliament for Rochford and Southend East.

After the General Election, there will be an option to rent accommodation or stay in hotels. Under the previous system you were able to claim mortgage interest on a flat which in my case is currently below the cost of renting.

I would like to take this opportunity to set some facts straight about my own allowances:

In 2001 , four years before I was elected as Member of Parliament for Rochford and Southend East, I bought a small one bedroom flat in London, which I rented out. In 2005 when I was first elected, I stayed in hotels or with friends in London during the week.
When the tenants in my flat came to the end of their lease, I decided to move into it and at that time it was necessary to do approximately £3,000 repairs to the roof and £3,000 of internal repairs, which Sir Thomas Legg deemed appropriate.
Like many newly married couples and new parents, we did not appreciate the impact in our life of a new baby and soon realised that there was neither room nor was it ideal for a young screaming baby! I therefore purchased, with a deposit of my own money, a two bedroom flat very close to Westminster in order for my wife and I and our children to have some semblance of normal family life within the irregular hours that Members work.
The Legg inquiry only highlighted one irregularity in my expenses – an overpayment of Council tax of £480.98, which was due to an administrative oversight whereby there was an overlap in the claim between the two properties. I repaid this immediately. click here to download Legg letter

In the new Parliament, it will not be permissible to claim for mortgage interest. At present, should I be re-elected, I will continue to stay in London some days during the week but at my own expense, not the taxpayers.

If this is not affordable I will either stay in a hotel or rent, which will depend on a number of factors: cost, the new hours of the House of Commons and what my responsibilities will be if re-elected.

I believe it is essential that we ensure that the cost of politics is reduced and believe we need fewer MPs, who are supported by a strong, robust and transparent system whereby we can employ a few staff and fully discharge our responsibilities effectively.

To view my allowances click here:

http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/james-duddridge/

Expenses

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