Expenses
How I use my Parliamentary allowances:
1. Staffing Allowance
In 2007/2008 this amounted to £96,124, and covered the cost of employing three staff at the House of Commons including PAYE and employer’s National Insurance Contributions.
Under the terms of a contract approved by and deposited with the Parliamentary authorities, I also contributed towards the costs of running my South Suffolk constituency office from this allowance. One full-time and one part-time employee work at Middle Barn, Longlands Place, Wenham Road, Washbrook, Ipswich IP8 3EZ.
2. Communications Allowance
In 2007/2008 this amounted to £10,000, of which I spent £9,128.20. This pays part of the cost of maintaining my website, for advertisements in the local press publicising my constituency surgeries, and for part of the cost of producing and distributing my regular constituency newsletter that goes to 35,000 homes in South Suffolk. It is Conservative Party policy, which I fully support, to abolish this Allowance as soon as possible.
3. Additional Costs Allowance
In 2007/2008 this amounted to £23,083 and contributed to the costs of maintaining my London home which I have lived in continuously for more than ten years. In addition to my house in South Suffolk at East Bergholt which I have lived in continuously for the last sixteen years, I have a flat in London in a block within walking distance (approx 1 mile) of the House of Commons. This allowance meets the cost of the interest-only mortgage on this flat, a portion of the utility bills and council tax, and the service charge levied by the management company that administers the block.
4. Incidental Expenses Provision
In 2007/2008 this amounted to £15,720 and was spent in full on office equipment and supplies, postage, incidental office expenses, reference books and office furniture, a portion of my mobile phone bill and on the construction of shelves in the office maintained in my flat.
5. Travel Allowance
This contributes to the cost of my travel between Westminster and South Suffolk and on constituency business within Suffolk. In 2007/2008 I claimed £5,599 under this allowance.