MPs' expenses: things for policywonk to say if she gets the chance

x-posts... all you others mentioning it too....

Scootergrrrl and IwoulddoDrWho next to the two Polish Parliament buildings in Warsaw, the Sejm (Lower House) and the Senate (Upper House) is the Parliamentary Hotel. Members of both houses of Parliament from outside Warsaw stay there when Parliament is in session. It has restaurants, bar, shop etc. - a good solution?

Paolosgirl - those are the HMRC rules ! I work for a private sector company and we can claim only what HMRC say we can - down to precise details of car start and stop places to satisfy their demands.

MPs expenses and allowances should be fully subject to taxation and scrutiny by the IR, just like the expenses of everyone else

Why can't the House of Commons buy a block of flats and provide accommodation for MPs, like halls of residence?

And don't they wish they'd listened to Norman Baker...

How about a good indicator of which is the real "home" for those with children being the place where the kids go to school? Would be hard to argue with that, don't you think?

And definitely agree that any profits on houses sold, if the mortgages have been paid for by public funds, reverting to the State, even if it's for reinvestment in MPs' justifiable allowances.

The public sector has to make savings to justify new spending, so how about doing away with all the subsidies of food and drink inside the Palace of Westminster at the same time? Make them pay the full whack for their gin and jam doughnuts.

Following on from Martha's comment, how about them all donating their stuff to the social fund in their constituencies? (ie NOT giving them the choice as to whether it's the one nearest to their 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th "home".

Why do all other public sector workers (in the NHS board I work for anyway) have to adhere to the following:-

1. A max. of £20 for food a day if away on business - £5 for lunch and dinner and £10 for dinner. And that includes your drinks.

1. Taxi fares must be justified in writing, or else they will be automatically rejected.

1. Expenses must be claime within 3 months. If you lie on the form you will be sacked.

1. If I submitted all my receipts and asked finance to sort them out and pay me what I was due, they would send them straight back to me and tell me to work it out for myself.

Oh - and can you please ask them when they are going to buy or build a block of flats in London so that MP's can have the use of an apartment only for as long as they are actually an MP.

I've forgotten loads of stuff - perhaps he drinks?

I agree with rubyslippers. How the hell do you forget you've paid your mortgage off??

Wristbands, car stickers, baseball hats, ties...the possibilities are endless!

I warn you Westminster MAD at the moment.

Police everywhere due to Tamils and the satellite news vans have taken over due to the speaker resigning.

10 points if you get searched by the police or barged at some point on your walk there

Have they seen the benefit fraud ads? Have none of them got the grace to feel enough shame to resign as MP's?

the best summary of the situation i have heard so far came from a colleague of mine today - "if you put a trough in front of a pig then it's going to stick its snout in" - classic

Yes. They could have wristbands with WWMND on one side and AIBU on the other just to remind them.

Go on, suggest it PW.

Fab idea, Iwoulddodoctorwho!

SOrt of like "What would an mner do?"

I would like to know how much in
total their greed has cost the taxpayer?
To the nearest million would do.

Could they use the AIBU test when considering new purchases?

how is it that MPs are allowed to claim up to £1000 for a bed, whereas those needing a social fund grant for a new bed will get £150.00?

Could they all live in a Hall of Residence, like maybe in Battersea, and share a minibus in?

I am far too dim to come up with a worthy question.
Just wanted to wish Ms Wonk all the best, you fox you!

P.S will you be submitting expenses and will they include receipts for Hobbs and M&S a la G20 wossit?

Why can't MPs expenses be like my company's expenses - if I spend money on a non-consumable item (ie not hotel, travel, food) then it is company property which they can choose to allow me to keep or not.

Also why do MPs who have second homes also claim food expenses. It isn't as if they are eating twice as much is it? Or is it?

Good luck for tomorrow PW. What are you wearing

100 points if you get bumsex in.