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1388073

registered interest
date	15/12/2021
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Members: Allowances
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish (a) arrangements for reimbursement of expenses and (b) the financial terms of the retiral of the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government.
tabling member constituency	East Lothian
tabling member printed	Kenny MacAskill
uin	93905
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/01/2022 answer text <p>Upon her retirement from the Civil Service, the outgoing permanent secretary will receive payments under the terms of the Civil Service Pension Scheme. Details of all relevant payments will be published by the Scottish Government in their 2021-22 annual accounts in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 05/01/2022 11:45:49 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
tabling member	4772 label Biography information for Kenny MacAskill

1242910

registered interest
date	13/10/2020
answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
answering dept id	204
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
hansard heading	Members: Allowances
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, following the example of the government of New Zealand and to reflect the economic costs of the COVID-19 pandemic being felt by the general public, whether there are plans to reduce the allowances paid to Members by 10 per cent.
tabling member printed	Lord Jones of Cheltenham
uin	HL9133
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2020 answer text <p>On 6 May the House agreed that a reduced daily allowance, at 50% of the usual rate, would be paid for virtual and physical attendance. This change was retrospective and applied to attendances from 20 April. On 22 July the House agreed to a revised allowance scheme. This reinstated the full daily rate for physical attendance in the Chamber or Grand Committee, while retaining the reduced 50% rate for virtual attendance in both fora. The House of Lords Commission will continue to keep the situation under review.</p> answering member printed Lord McFall of Alcluith question first answered 27/10/2020 14:30:19 answering member 4148 label Biography information for Lord McFall of Alcluith
tabling member	248 label Biography information for Lord Jones of Cheltenham

1171314

registered interest
date	16/01/2020
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 Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what the total cost has been to the public purse of hon. Members who have not taken their seats in the House of Commons in (a) 2015, (b) 2016, (c) 2017 and (d) 2018.
tabling member constituency	Blackpool South
tabling member printed	Scott Benton
uin	4498
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2020 answer text <p>All MPs are able to claim for business costs and expenses in line with the rules established by IPSA in the Scheme of MPs’ Business Costs and Expenses. All business costs and expenses claimed by MPs, including those who have not taken their seats in the House of Commons, are routinely published and can be viewed on IPSA’s website: <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/qLAXCNL3qi2VnYMc4psuS?domain=theipsa.org.uk" target="_blank">www.theipsa.org.uk/mp-costs/your-mp/</a>.</p><p>The figures below outline the business costs and expenses of those MPs who have not taken their seats.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial Year</strong></p></td><td><p>MPs with Published costs</p></td><td><p>Office Costs</p></td><td><p>Staffing</p></td><td><p>Staff Absence</p></td><td><p>Winding-Up Budget</p></td><td><p>Accommodation / Hotels</p></td><td><p>Travel</p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2015-16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>6</strong></p></td><td><p>£12,334.65</p></td><td><p>£545,454.86</p></td><td><p>NA</p></td><td><p>£89,712.95</p></td><td><p>£0.00</p></td><td><p>£597.69</p></td><td><p><strong>£648,100.15</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2016-17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>4</strong></p></td><td><p>£20,504.85</p></td><td><p>£434,266.07</p></td><td><p>NA</p></td><td><p>£0.00</p></td><td><p>£0.00</p></td><td><p>£5,146.49</p></td><td><p><strong>£459,917.41</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2017-18</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8</strong></p></td><td><p>£115,569.72</p></td><td><p>£683,680.99</p></td><td><p>£0.00</p></td><td><p>£35,163.41</p></td><td><p>£7,835.00</p></td><td><p>£32,210.58</p></td><td><p><strong>£874,459.70</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2018-19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>7</strong></p></td><td><p>£115,667.58</p></td><td><p>£893,333.79</p></td><td><p>£7,879.49</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>£0.00</p></td><td><p>£19,597.03</p></td><td><p>£119,282.23</p></td><td><p><strong>£1,155,760.12</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Under a resolution of the House, Representative Money is provided to opposition parties represented by Members who have chosen not to take the Oath. Payment of Representative Money is administered by the House of Commons Members’ Hub. Budget allocations for Representative Money since 2005-6 are published in Appendix 4 of the following document: <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/OxaaCOM3rc65PD2tkjS1X?domain=researchbriefings.parliament.uk" target="_blank">https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN01663</a> .</p><p>The Representative Money allocation figures for the four years in question are as follows:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Period</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Main </strong><strong>Allocation</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Travel Allocation</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total Allocation</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>£</p></td><td><p>£</p></td><td><p>£</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2015/16</strong><strong> *</strong></p></td><td><p>01/04/15 - 07/05/15</p></td><td><p>11,511.00</p></td><td><p>329.45</p></td><td><p>11,840.45</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p>08/05/15 - 31/03/16</p></td><td><p>87,783.00</p></td><td><p>1,898.90</p></td><td><p>89,681.90</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2016/17</strong></p></td><td><p>01/04/16 - 31/03/17</p></td><td><p>97,556.00</p></td><td><p>2,224.32</p></td><td><p>99,780.32</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2017/18 *</strong></p></td><td><p>01/04/17 - 08/06/17</p></td><td><p>18,737.00</p></td><td><p>431.41</p></td><td><p>19,168.41</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p>09/06/17 - 31/03/18</p></td><td><p>130,970.00</p></td><td><p>2,901.64</p></td><td><p>133,871.64</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2018/19</strong></p></td><td><p>01/04/18 - 31/03/19</p></td><td><p>165,864.00</p></td><td><p>3,674.62</p></td><td><p>169,538.62</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>* General Election years</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Since 2016-17 it has been a requirement to publish the amounts paid for the financial year and these can be found on the Parliament website via the following link: <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/Y7jACP73vF7vDB5Sj7NsM?domain=parliament.uk" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/foi/transparency-publications/hoc-transparency-publications/financial-information/financial-assistance-to-opposition-parties/previous-financial-assistance-to-opposition-parties/</a>.</p><p>The Representative Money actual expenditure for each financial year since 2016-17 was as follows:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Period</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Main </strong><strong>Allocation Spend</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Travel Allocation</strong><strong> Spend</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total </strong><strong>Spend</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>£</p></td><td><p>£</p></td><td><p>£</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2016/17</strong></p></td><td><p>01/04/16 - 31/03/17</p></td><td><p>97,743.00</p></td><td><p>0.00</p></td><td><p>97,743.00</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2017/18 *</strong></p></td><td><p>01/04/17 - 08/06/17</p></td><td><p>18,737.00</p></td><td><p>0.00</p></td><td><p>18,737.00</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p>09/06/17 - 31/03/18</p></td><td><p>131,824.00</p></td><td><p>0.00</p></td><td><p>131,824.00</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2018/19</strong></p></td><td><p>01/04/18 - 31/03/19</p></td><td><p>166,005.00</p></td><td><p>0.00</p></td><td><p>166,005.00</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>* General Election years</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Any spend above the Main Allocation has been funded by the parties themselves.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Sir Charles Walker question first answered 30/01/2020 17:04:17 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
tabling member	4793 label Biography information for Scott Benton

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

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

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

1023905

registered interest
date	12/12/2018
answering body	Leader of the House
answering dept id	34
answering dept short name	Leader of the House
answering dept sort name	Leader of the House
hansard heading	Members: Allowances
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Leader of the House, what the cost to the House has been of payments made to hon. Members who have not taken their seats in the House in respect of their parliamentary duties in 2017-18.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	201576
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>Short Money is a payment made available from the House of Commons to all opposition parties in the House of Commons that secured either two seats, or one seat and more than 150,000 votes, at the previous General Election. Short Money is not available to parties whose Members have not sworn the oath. Therefore a separate scheme, Representative Money, was introduced in 2006 for parties whose Members had not taken the oath.</p><p>The method of calculation is detailed in the comprehensive Library briefing note on the subject. <a href="https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN01663" target="_blank">https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN01663</a></p><p>The amount paid out under representative money in 2017/18 was £149,707.51.</p><p>All short money and representative money payments are published annually here: <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-finance-office/Short%20money/Short%20Money%20Jun%2017-Mar%2018.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-finance-office/Short%20money/Short%20Money%20Jun%2017-Mar%2018.pdf</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 17/12/2018 13:32:57 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

861101

registered interest
date	13/03/2018
answering body	Leader of the House
answering dept id	34
answering dept short name	Leader of the House
answering dept sort name	Leader of the House
hansard heading	Members: Allowances
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Leader of the House, what the cost to the House has been of payments made to hon. Members who have not taken their seats in the House in respect of their Parliamentary duties, in each of the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	132250
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2018 answer text <p>The amount of representative money paid to Members of Parliament that have not taken their seats is based on the annual percentage increase of the consumer price index as at the previous December. Attached to this answer is a breakdown of the costs over the last 10 years.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 16/03/2018 10:03:21 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom attachment 1 file name Representative Money - Sinn Fein.docx title Breakdown of representative money
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

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