| Parliamentary expenses |
| The issue: |
I share the dismay of many at the appalling evidence of misuse of parlaimentary expenses by the minority of members. How such a system of rudimentary if not entirely subjective management of our representatives' expenditure repayment could have been developed defeats me.
What is for sure is that this late '70s early '80s method of supporting the ridiculously low pay that we give to our MPs has to stop. It's fall out must not be allowed to give BNP in particular or even UKIP an opportunity to grow a Westminster base
If borough/county council heads earn in excess of £100,000 p.a., if heads of our hospital trust earn in excess of £150,000 p.a. then what is a realistic figure for those who represent us individually, and collectively in terms of constituencies, and who in a body are responsible for our safety, our health and our wealth? At least double the current going rate.
But lets say £200,000 p.a. would be a good starter. That would allow the removal entirely of all expenses excluding those incured as a result of travel and overnight accomodation. These would be capped at say 30p per mile and £150 per night based on a commonly robust expenses regime as employed by almost all of the larger more successful private sector companies.
At this level we would start to see highly talented applicants for adoption as a rule rather than as a exception. Members would not need supplementary income sources to survive
Their involvement in outside organisations could then be limited to, say, 20 hours each month.
We are lucky in having a member we believe to be beyond reproach. What about those not so lucky? I believe that members who have allegedly committed fraud if found guilty should be expelled from parliament (a new law?) and a by-election held.
Mr Brown should be urged by all parties to take control now and to start the process by removing from the House the right to approve payment of members' expenses. This would be better handled pro tem by an external auditing firm. Then Brown (or someone) can set about constructing a means of moving from where we are now to where, in a modern world, we should be with a proper contract based terms and conditions of employment that can be signed up to be every party agency across England. This will also give us the chance to review our relationships with the other UK countries and certainly their involvement in English legislature. |
| Date Issue Raised: |
17 May 2009 |
| My response: |
Many thanks for the email, with its interesting suggestions.
Sir Christopher Kelly, the Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life has been asked to do an enquiry into all of this, and I wonder if you have thought of submitting your proposals and evidence to him?
Best wishes, George Young
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Sir George Young Bt MP: Constituency and Parliamentary Website 