Expense claims relating to the death of Baroness Thatcher

Request

Did any MP claim expenses for the recall of parliament on the announcement of Mrs Thatcher's death if so - who are they?

If any did what was the amount of each individuals claim?

Did any MP claim expenses for attending the funeral and if so- who are they?

If any did what was the amount of each individual claim?


Response

Members of Parliament are permitted, under the MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses (‘the Scheme’), to claim for expenses legitimately incurred as a result of their parliamentary duties.  As such, and with reference to your request, only claims related to the recall of Parliament would be permitted. 

Under the Scheme, MPs are allowed a maximum of 90 days for submission of claims after a business cost or expense has been incurred.  Claims relating to expenses made in April may be submitted at any point up to July.

IPSA does not therefore currently hold the information you request. 

Once the 90 day submission period has ended, all claims for expenses are then published on our expenses website every two months, three months in arrears.  Claims made in April and May 2013 will be published from 12th September 2013.  Further information on future publication dates is available on our website

Section 22(1) of the FOIA states that information intended for future publication is exempt from release.

We have considered whether the public interest in releasing the information outweighs the application of the exemption. It is our opinion that the public interest is best served by publishing a full list rather than on an ad hoc basis, as in this way a clear and complete set of information is published, avoiding any potential confusion. It is for this reason that the application of the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure at this stage.

Ref:
F1314-020
Disclosure:
2 May 2013
Categories:
PARLIAMENTARY RECALL
Exemptions Applied:
Section 22