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Hull MP opens book on
office running costs
Hull North MP Diana Johnson
today published her allowances and office running costs for the
financial year 2006/07, ahead of their official publication by
Parliament on 25 October 2007.
Diana Johnson MP said: “My
expenses and allowances for the financial year of 2006/07 were as
follows.
“I claimed £93,946 for staffing,
which includes a sum unspent carried over from the previous
financial year.
“This largely covers the
employment of one full-time member of staff in my constituency
office and two part-time caseworkers during the 2006/07 financial
year. At my Westminster office in 2006/7, I employed one full-time
Parliamentary Researcher and, for part of 2006, one part-time
Secretarial Assistant. The Staffing Allowance covers their
salaries, national insurance contributions and other
incidentals.
“On Incidental Expenses
Provision, I claimed £22,059. This represents other costs of
running offices in both Westminster and Hull. As far as the
constituency office is concerned, these costs include, for example,
rent and telephone bills and all the other costs of running a busy
office. Whilst the House of Commons provides office accommodation
at Westminster, all the usual office consumables have to be
purchased from this allowance for both offices.
“As an active constituency MP, I respond to letters and petitions
that I receive and work hard to keep Hull North people informed and
up to date. In 2006/07, the cost of my stationery was £2,243 and
postage £9,637. This sounds a lot, but it represents the cost of
taking up and providing a proper response to issues on which
constituents approach me, informing constituents about my work on
their behalf and where they can contact me if they need my
help.
”My Additional Cost Allowance
claim is for the additional costs of accommodation involved in
working in Westminster - and having to stay in London - during the
weekdays when Parliament is sitting; and living at home in Hull
North the rest of the time. I claimed £22,110 towards these costs
in 2006/07.
”My total travelling expenses for 2006/07 came to £9,332. This was
for rail and road journeys travelling between Westminster, the
constituency and around Hull.
“Finally, I received the
standard IT allowance of £930, representing the loan cost of the
standard computer equipment provided to every MP.
”I believe in transparency and
accountability. This is why I have set out my allowances for
2006/07, with a brief explanation behind each one, prior to their
official publication. As this involves public money, I take great
care to spend no more than is needed to be an active local MP. To
spend less would mean doing less work for the people of Hull
North.”
Ends
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16 October 2007: Parliamentary Allowance statement for 2006/07
