Local MP claimed garden tools on expenses
Labour MP Dan Norris has revealed that he had his septic tank emptied and bought an electric garden strimmer and mower on Parliamentary expenses.
The Wansdyke MP says he was the first politician in the Bristol area to voluntarily publish detailed accounts on his website and has pledged to release the full set of receipts as soon as possible.
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He includes a breakdown that shows he claimed mortgage interest of £9,062.63 last year, £4,000 on food, £1,928.01 on utilities bills, £944.19 in council tax and his £135 TV licence under the second homes allowance scheme.
The MP declined to reveal which of his homes in London and Pensford he was claiming for.
But a £125 claim five years ago for his septic tank to be emptied and a claim for heating oil of £1,502.17 represent expenses unlikely to have been incurred on a property in the capital.
Cleaning costs of £2,108.17, service and maintenance bills totalling £1,337.47 and a bill of £1,346.52 covering repairs, security and insurance were also submitted. Mr Norris's site shows he has claimed for a £579.99 mattress, £59.99 electric mower and £54.99 electric strimmer in the past.
He explains that he has not changed the designation of his "main home" and "second home" since being elected in 1997 and only owns one home.
He said: "People can see what I have done already. I already have comprehensive information on my website.
"I was one of only 25 MPs to vote for disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.
"I already have more detail than most MPs on my website. The receipts will be done as quickly as possible."
It comes as the chairman of Parliamentary Labour, Tony Lloyd, wrote to all the party's MPs urging them to publish their expenses before Commons authorities released them.
The Bristol region's Labour MPs are expected to follow suit in the coming days, starting with health minister Dawn Primarolo. The Bristol South MP intends to publish her receipts over the weekend.
Bristol East's Kerry McCarthy and Doug Naysmith, MP for Bristol North West, said they planned to publish detailed summaries as soon as possible. Kingswood's Roger Berry expects it will be towards the end of next week before he is able to complete the task.
He said: "It is absolutely the best thing to get the information out there as soon as possible.
"If anybody finds anything in there they think is against the spirit of the rules it should be paid back. I don't think that will happen in my case.
"Sir Christopher Kelly's committee will be looking at the future of the system and I really do believe that members have now got to say they will accept whatever he says.
"For most of the claims that have come out there has been no suggestion of anything fraudulent but where there allegations of fraud the police have got to be involved."
The first casualties of the expenses scandal emerged yesterday as potentially fraudulent claims were exposed.
Labour MP Elliot Morley was been suspended from the party after he admitted claiming £16,000 for a mortgage he had already paid off.
Conservative MP Andrew MacKay quit as parliamentary aide to leader David Cameron after it emerged he claimed full second home allowance on his London address, while his wife, Tory MP Julie Kirkbride, claimed the full allowance for another home.
14 Comments
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by This little Piggy, bristol
Sunday, May 17 2009, 4:41PM
“I don't think Dan Norris has flipped properties like Dawn Primarolo, or claimed the maximum allowance as she did.”
by Richard, Midsomer Norton
Friday, May 15 2009, 8:07PM
“to be fair Dan Norris is a good genuine bloke and a hard working MP. Pity his mates have all had their noses in the trough. Sack every MP who has abused the system, and replace them with people who have the community as a whole at heart and not a party.”
by wersmedapz, hillfields
Friday, May 15 2009, 7:52PM
“surprised there isnt a spade on the list for the big hole they dug themselves or would it come under digger hire”
by Glenn Vowles, vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com
Friday, May 15 2009, 6:56PM
“The MPs expenses controversy shows that we need some way of holding our elected representatives to account between elections. I'd like to draw your attention to the longstanding Green Party policy of enabling elected representatives on all bodies to be recalled if enough of their constituents want it. Here's a copy of the policy wording from the Manifesto for a Sustainable Society:
'Government at all levels should be accountable to electors between elections and accordingly necessary legislative steps will be taken to provide for a prescribed percentage of any representative's electors to be able to petition for the recall of any elected person, and rules will be made for the conduct of such recall petitions.'”
by colin, Bristol
Friday, May 15 2009, 3:54PM
“John,why only Labour MPs,as a previous contributor says,the whole system is rotten to the core?”
by Michael R Moretonson, South Croydon
Friday, May 15 2009, 3:34PM
“Let's see then,we have those at the top in the Banking Sector taking hundreds of thousands of pounds by way of salary,AND million pound bonuse's, for being incompetent failures,those in charge of the privatised utilitis doing likewise,and now our Honorable MPs milking us for every penny they can,with regard to Mr Richard Ottaway the MP who I most foolishly helped elect, now refuses to inform us about the cash he has stolen from us,and this man represents a Party that if/and when elected have promised to get rid of the minimum wage,and the elderly of their heating allowance,the whole system we live under is ROTTEN TO THE CORE.”
by John, Bristol
Friday, May 15 2009, 2:37PM
“The sooner these parasitic Labour MPs are replaced (preferably by BNP politicians) the better!”
by nik, bristol
Friday, May 15 2009, 2:06PM
“Why have the rest of our MP's not published details of their expenses? We don't want an edited 'director's cut', this delay smells fishy. No filleting please! Publish everything asap, it's our money!!!! or suspicion will remain.”
by dave, bristol
Friday, May 15 2009, 1:33PM
“I hope that the other Bristol MP's intend on full disclosure? No redacted excerpts. Dawn Primarolo and Kerry McCarthy should hurry up and publish already!!! If they've got nothing to hide they've got nothing to fear!!!!!”
by gerry, bristol
Friday, May 15 2009, 12:51PM
“Lets have a look at our local councillors while we are at it, are they squeeky clean ?”