Number of MPs making claims for constituency office rent between 2009 and 2014

IPSA holds the information that you request.

As you will be aware, Members of Parliament are entitled, under the MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses (‘the Scheme’) to claim the cost of renting office space for the purpose of a constituency office. 

IPSA publishes details of all claims for business costs and expenses on our website every two months, three months in arrears, on our dedicated publication website http://www.parliamentary-standards.org.uk.

The most recent publication took place on 11 September 2014, which relates to claims made between April and May 2014. Using the search function, you can download details of all claims made for constituency office rent.

The following instructions may assist you in filtering the information.

1. Select ‘Search Function’ via the menu bar at the top of the page.

2. Under ‘Select MP(s), Constituencies, Postcode or Region’, select an MP, or tick the box to select all MPs.

3. Under ‘Select a year and, optionally, month(s)’, select a financial year.

4. Under ‘Select category(s) of Business Cost or Expense’, select ‘Office Costs’ and ‘Constituency Rental’.

5. Under ‘Select type(s) of Business Cost or Expense’, select ‘Const Office Rent’, ‘Const Office Rent 2’, ‘Const Office Rent 3’ and ‘Const Office Rent 4’.

Using this information, you will be able to establish the number of MPs who made claims for constituency office rent alongside the number of MPs who did not.

The FOIA states that information that is accessible by other means is not subject to release. Therefore, as the information you have requested is already available on our website, it is exempt from disclosure under section 21 of the FOIA (information accessible to applicant by other means).

IPSA began operations on 7 May 2010 and does not hold information relating to claims made or processed prior to that date. Prior to 7 May 2010, the administration of business costs and expenses was the responsibility of the Department of Resources at the House of Commons. For information relating to claims made prior to 7 May 2010, you may wish to contact the House of Commons FOI team at the following email address: FOICommons@parliament.uk.