West Derbyshire's MP defends his expenses claim

Published in Matlock Mercury on Thu 24th Jul 2008

New shower: Patrick McLoughlin

WEST Derbyshire MP Patrick McLoughlin has defended his use of taxpayer's money to fund items including a new shower and home decorations. And the Conservatives' new Your Right to Know report also revealed Mr McLoughlin paid his wife Lynn £30,000-39,999 to be his constituency secretary last year. The report showed that in the last three months, Mr McLoughlin claimed £487 for a shower, £400 in cleaning costs, £700 for food and £544 for decorations for his London home.

These claims were within official expense limits and Mr McLoughlin said they were necessary for him to pay for the upkeep of his London home. He said: "I'm very keen for there to be a complete review of the way the additional cost allowance system works, but members of parliament do have to keep two places. "It's just not possible for me to commute daily to London."

Mr McLoughlin said his wife deserved her wage but refused to state the exact amount she was paid.

He said: "She's been working for me for over 30 years full time and if you look on our website, it's well within the pay bands.

"I'll not specify a figure. She has privacy as well as everybody else, but it's nowhere near the top of the range."

Mr McLoughlin was one of 16 Conservatives in the report who paid members of their family up to £40,000 to help run offices.

Tory leader David Cameron asked all Conservative frontbenchers to reveal their expenses and Mr McLoughlin said he welcomed the transparency. Mr McLoughlin said: "I'm being more open and the House of Commons has followed suit. We were the only party to publish our expenses last week and what we did has now been copied," he added.