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1123862

	registered interest
	date	30/04/2019
	answering body	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept id	90
	answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	hansard heading	Members: Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what involvement did the Speaker's committee had in the formulation of the new claims system for hon. Members' allowances.
	tabling member constituency	Warley
	tabling member printed	John Spellar
	uin	249206
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>As part of its role to approve IPSA’s Estimate, in March 2016, the Speaker’s Committee approved funds for a wide-ranging improvement programme, including plans for a new IT system, IPSA Online. This took into account longstanding feedback from MPs and their staff about the need to modernise and improve IPSA’s systems and processes. In subsequent years, the Speaker’s Committee has scrutinised progress on this programme via the annual Estimate approval process, as well as other formal and informal updates.</p><p>The Speaker’s Committee had no direct input into the design of IPSA Online, but has received regular updates on the key features of the system and IPSA’s plans for engagement and training activities.</p><p>More generally, IPSA engaged with MPs and staff members throughout the development of IPSA Online through activities including surveys, meetings, usability testing and training sessions, in order to take account of their needs and preferences. IPSA is committed to ongoing liaison with MPs and their staff to gain further feedback on the new system now that it has been launched.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker question first answered 07/05/2019 13:23:15 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	318 label Biography information for John Spellar

1131865

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2019
	answering body	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept id	90
	answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	hansard heading	Members: Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the system for reimbursing MPs expenses; and if IPSA will make it its policy to reinstate the previous system for the reimbursement of expenses.
	tabling member constituency	Christchurch
	tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
	uin	263668
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>IPSA considered a range of options for its new system of reimbursing MPs’ business costs and expenses. The system selected is more integrated and efficient than its predecessor systems, and holds the personal data of MPs and their staff more securely. The software selected is widely used in the United Kingdom, including in many public bodies. Prior to its launch in April, the effectiveness of the system was thoroughly tested, including by MPs and their staff. Its benefits include:</p><p> </p><p>- A ‘single sign-on’ capability to allow MPs and their staff to access the system directly through their secure parliamentary account without an additional logon.</p><p>- MPs and staff no longer need to send paper receipts and invoices to IPSA, but can scan or photograph them and upload them digitally onto the system. This improves data security and means that IPSA can process and reimburse claims more quickly.</p><p>- MPs’ staff members can now be reimbursed directly by IPSA for their own expenses rather than via their MPs.</p><p>- MPs and their staff are now able to amend their personal details, including any change of name or address, on the new system themselves, without needing to submit a form to IPSA.</p><p>- The new system allows claims from different budgets to be submitted on the same form, rather than having to submit multiple forms.</p><p>- MPs and their staff have constant access to financial information about the amounts left in their budgets and the status of any repayments or amounts owed, rather than waiting a monthly financial statement from IPSA.</p><p> </p><p>As of 13 June, 612 MPs have successfully submitted claims on the new system. IPSA is committed to supporting and training MPs and their staff as they become accustomed to the new online claims system. IPSA does not intend to make it its policy to reinstate the previous system.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker question first answered 20/06/2019 12:12:33 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker previous answer version 123708 answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1136735

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2019
	answering body	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept id	90
	answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	hansard heading	Members: Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how much the new system for reimbursing hon. Members' expenses cost to implement.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	272731
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>I have asked IPSA to reply.</p><p>The original April 2016 business case for IPSA’s new IT system, IPSA Online, estimated a cost of £4.641 million. IPSA expected the programme to be completed in 2017-18. The full costs incurred to ensure IPSA could go live with IPSA Online at the beginning of the current financial year were £8.253 million.</p><p>The increase in cost was due in part to the unexpected General Election of June 2017 which diverted IPSA work for up to nine months to supporting MPs who left or joined parliament, and increased supplier costs. Costs also increased following a change of suppliers in September 2018 to improve the quality of IT support. Testing the system took longer than anticipated in order to ensure it was fully secure and free of technical problems. The increases in cost have been partly mitigated by savings elsewhere in IPSA’s budget. A full internal audit of the programme is currently taking place. IPSA will report to the Speaker’s Committee for the IPSA later in the year on the overall costs and benefits of IPSA Online.</p><p>IPSA is committed to supporting MPs and their staff during this transition and will make appropriate adjustments to improve the system as it beds in, while ensuring strong financial control, improvements in value for money, and high data quality and data security.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker question first answered 10/07/2019 14:21:40 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

176805

	registered interest
	date	29/01/2015
	answering body	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept id	90
	answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	hansard heading	Members: Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, if the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority will consistently differentiate between (a) total staffing and constituency office costs and (b) other claims by hon. Members on its website and in its publications.
	tabling member constituency	Walsall North
	tabling member printed	Mr David Winnick
	uin	222672
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2015 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.</p><p><em>Letter from Marcial Boo, </em><em>January</em><em> 2015:</em></p><p>As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about publication of MPs' business costs and expenses.</p><p>IPSA routinely publishes on our website all costs incurred by MPs and claimed from us. In doing so, we set out to which budget the cost relates; for example, office costs or staffing. In doing so, we set out which budget each cost relates to, whether to the office cost, staffing or other budget.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker question first answered 02/03/2015 13:45:53 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	316 label Biography information for Mr David Winnick

416840

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2015
	answering body	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept id	90
	answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	hansard heading	Members: Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what steps IPSA has taken to make its processes more efficient for hon. Members and their staff.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Phil Boswell
	uin	8402
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2015 answer text <p>IPSA provides financial support to enable MPs to perform their parliamentary and constituency work. We aim to do this as efficiently as possible and to minimise the burden on MPs, consistent with our duty to assure the public that all MPs’ business costs are legitimate, supported by evidence and subsequently published.</p><p>IPSA took a number of steps in 2014-15 to achieve this objective. This included expanding the use of the payment card, permitting MPs to use the card for any eligible cost under the <em>MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses</em> (‘the Scheme’) and providing additional telephone support by opening our phone lines from 10am till 5pm, including over the weekend during the General Election, to ensure that MPs could get help and assistance as and when they needed it.</p><p>IPSA have also provided more training for MPs and their staff on our system and have participated in roadshows and seminars across the country to meet MPs’ staff and explain how our rules and systems operate. IPSA have also held drop-in sessions at Portcullis House for MPs and their staff.</p><p>All these measures have help to reduce the time that MPs and their staff spend making claims. IPSA are now undertaking a more wide-ranging review of both IT and business services to see where further efficiencies can be made, and to continue to improve the support that it provides to MPs and their staff.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker question first answered 23/11/2015 17:14:40 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	4388 label Biography information for Philip Boswell

416841

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2015
	answering body	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept id	90
	answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	hansard heading	Members: Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, if IPSA will consult the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body on making its processes more efficient.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Phil Boswell
	uin	8403
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2015 answer text <p>The <em>MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses</em> (‘the Scheme’) is reviewed on a regular basis to ensure the rules (and the supporting processes) remain fair and workable. In doing so, IPSA always consult the public, MPs, MPs’ staff and other interested parties, including the Scottish Parliament, whomthe Chief Executive of IPSA, Marcial Boo,met with most recently in August 2015.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker question first answered 23/11/2015 17:16:04 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	4388 label Biography information for Philip Boswell

416842

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2015
	answering body	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept id	90
	answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	hansard heading	Members: Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what plans IPSA has to measure the average number of working hours spent by hon. Members and their staff per month on registering expenses with IPSA.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Phil Boswell
	uin	8404
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2015 answer text <p>IPSA carries out an Annual User Survey which seeks to identify, amongst other measures, the hours per month that MPs and their staff spend making expenses claims. The key findings from these surveys are published on IPSA’s website.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker question first answered 23/11/2015 17:16:36 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	4388 label Biography information for Philip Boswell

92880

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2014
	answering body	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept id	90
	answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	hansard heading	Members: Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, on what criteria additional staff allowances other than for staff sickness or maternity leave are given to hon. Members.
	tabling member constituency	Colchester
	tabling member printed	Sir Bob Russell
	uin	210218
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2014 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.</p><p><em>Letter from Marcial Boo, October 2014:</em></p><p>As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about the criteria for additional staffing expenditure budget.</p><p><em>The MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses</em> sets out the criteria for contingency funding in Chapter 10. We consider applications for additional funding for staffing or non-staffing costs on a case-by-case basis and take into account the following criteria:</p><ul><li>whether there are exceptional circumstances warranting additional support;</li><li>whether the MP could reasonably have been expected to take any action to avoid the circumstances which gave rise to the expenditure or liability; and</li><li>whether the MP's performance of his or her parliamentary functions would be significantly impaired by a refusal of the claim.</li></ul><p> </p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker question first answered 30/10/2014 13:16:51 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	35 label Biography information for Sir Bob Russell