Details relating to Bill Esterson MP's constituency office

Request

With regard to Mr Esterson making his Parliamentary Office in Maghull available to the Labour Party for various purposes and subsequently agreeing to make retrospective rental charges, I would wish you to provide me with the following ...

When was the first interchange of correspondence of email or conversation between Bill Esterson MP and Parliamentary Authorities on this subject and who initiated it?  What is the rental agreement with the Labour Party ie how much per annum will be repaid and subsequently paid?

Response

IPSA holds the information that you request.

On 7 September 2011, Mr Esterson initiated a conversation between himself and IPSA on this matter.  We have not been supplied with a formal agreement between the Labour party and Mr Esterson, however, Mr Esterson requested that we reduce the level of rent paid by IPSA to his landlord by 10 per cent, from the commencement of the tenancy, to reflect its use of Mr Esterson’s office.  Mr Esterson’s rental claims have been adjusted to take account of this reduction from the start of the tenancy and, therefore, no repayments have been required.  It should be noted that this change was made at the request of Mr Esterson and not as the result of a request from IPSA.

Ref:
FOI2012-A035
Disclosure:
24 April 2012
Categories:
MPs' OFFICE COSTS
Exemptions Applied:
None