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."