MP"s £200 pen claim

Jenny Foulds 1623 - 1623 • Published 2 Jun 2009 11:00

THE area"s MP tried to claim expenses of almost £200 - for a fountain pen.

This is just one of the revelations coming from John McFall"s disclosure of his allowances receipts, prompted by a request from the Reporter.

He paid £195 for, what he says was a 'very good' fountain pen, and tried to claim the money back, but because his office-related expenses had already been totalled out, his request was refused.

However, he was successful in claiming £297.80 for a Tom Tom satellite navigation system to help him get around his constituency - despite having represented it for 23 years.

And the 64-year-old, who chairs the Treasury Select Committee, has also revealed that he was reimbursed £734.38 for accountancy bills with one of the UK"s top firms, to help him keep his MPs" entitlements in order.

Now Mr McFall has promised to publish most of his expenses for the 2007 to 2008 Parliamentary session on his website, and he will start keeping an online log of all claims he makes from now on.

He told the Reporter: 'I do recognise that we, as MPs, have to change and do so dramatically to regain some of the trust and confidence lost in us as a result of the expenses scandal.

'I am totally committed to my own constituency, and although I may be John McFall, chairman of the Treasury Select Committee, I will always be John McFall from Dumbarton, it is where my heart is. Times are tough at the moment, and I understand that from my vantage point, so I am committed to doing as the Prime Minister says, and reduce my expenses.'

When asked about the sat nav claim on May 31 2007, the Labour MP said: 'The boundaries within my constituency have changed recently, to include places like Arrochar, and I think it is handy to know the streets in the area.'

Two months earlier, on March 31 2007, Mr McFall claimed £369.99 for a 20-inch LCD TV for his second home in London, which he purchased at the Drumchapel branch of Currys.

In the run-up to Christmas 2007, he filed an allowance to pay HW Fisher, an accountancy firm, £734.38.

Mr McFall explained: 'It"s because of my work as an MP that I need an accountant.

'Many MPs do it to keep in the right with our expenses.'

On April 30 that year, the former teacher claimed £234.98 for a digital camera which he says is to take photos to upload to his website.

Mr McFall has had a 'one-and-a-bit bedroom flat' in the Westminster area of London for more than eight years, and between 2007 and 2008 he claimed £12,282 in mortgage interest on it.

His allowances also paid for an annual food bill of £4,800, while he paid part of his Council Tax in both London and West Dunbartonshire through his entitlements.

He employs his wife as a part-time secretary and claimed £2,372 in members" spouse travel during that period, for her to accompany him to Westminster, while he claimed £13,793 in travel for 2007/2008.

The MP claimed £161,121 on top of an annual salary of £77,330 for last year.

But he is adamant that all of his claims are above board and justified. He added: 'I have no claims for duck islands or for cleaning a moat. I have nothing to hide.'

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This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 02 Jun 09

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