Cameron pushes for openness on MPs' expenses

Cameron tells Tory frontbench to reveal expenses

Tuesday, 05, Feb 2008 12:00

Members of the shadow government will be made to publish full details of their expenses claims and allowances, David Cameron said today.

The disclosure will include the amount paid to any family members employed at their offices, the Conservative leader confirmed.

All frontbench MPs will be expected to reveal how many staff are employed, their names and position. Salary details will only be expected from relatives.

From April, all members of the Conservative frontbench will be expected to complete an annual form detailing their staffing costs and arrangements, communications budget, travel expenses and other costs paid for by public money.

Mr Cameron said shadow ministers would also be expected to publish details of the costs incurred living away from home.

The measure, described as "sensible steps" by the Conservative leader, will initially only apply to frontbench members, but Mr Cameron hopes all Tory MPs can be persuaded to voluntarily disclose their spending.

The details will be published annually from April 2009 but shadow ministers will make an initial quarterly disclosure this July in a bid to show the party is moving towards transparency.

Mr Cameron stressed the proposals are "not the last word" and admitted more needed to be done to avoid future allegations of misuse of expenses.

He called on the House of Commons to change the rules whereby MPs do not have to submit receipts for expenses claims below £250. He said he encouraged his colleagues to retain all receipts.

Furthermore he argued Westminster needed to move away from the practice where MPs vote for their own salaries.

He repeated claims a culture has developed whereby MPs view their allowances as an additional top-up to salaries which do not match up to the private sector.