Amount spent by MPs on Security Assistance between June 2016 and July 2017

IPSA takes the security of MPs and their staff extremely seriously. IPSA will always fund the appropriate measures to make sure that MPs and their staff can carry out their jobs safely. We receive recommendations on appropriate measures and standards of security from the police, including the counter terrorism divisions. Standard security measures have been recommended by the police for all MPs and we will fund any enhanced measures required which they recommend.

Since September 2016, there are two ways MPs can obtain the appropriate, recommended security for their homes and offices:

1. Applying for Security Assistance funding from IPSA and being reimbursed for the costs, or

2. Ordering from Chubb Fire and Security, with IPSA paying Chubb directly.

Applying for Security Assistance funding from IPSA

To obtain Security Assistance funding there is an application process outlined in the security options package issued by IPSA, which were prepared by security experts in the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI). MPs can apply to IPSA for funding for security measures, pay for the costs themselves and will then be reimbursed for those costs upon approval.

Ordering directly through Chubb

In recent months, IPSA has also been working with the House of Commons’ security department and with the police to further streamline MPs’ access to the standard security package. Last year, the House of Commons awarded Chubb Fire and Security a contract for the delivery of the standard security package[1]. The contract is managed by the House and IPSA continues to provide the funding. Where arrangements are made through Chubb, MPs do not need to submit a claim for the cost as IPSA pays Chubb direct on their behalf, with the costs continuing to be met from the Security Assistance budget.

Due to the sensitive nature of claims for Security Assistance, details of individual claims are not published. However, at the end of each financial year we publish the total figure for claims made during the year. You can find this information on our website via this link.

MPs may still choose to claim routine security costs from their standard budgets (eg. Office Costs) as a standard claim. Details of such claims would be published on our website under the relevant expense type. The information contained within this response below relates to all claims made for security, including those made under the Security Assistance budget and any other available budget. For clarity, we have separated those costs.

Your request

Taking your requests for information in turn:

• How much has been spent on additional security measures for MPs at their homes and offices since the murder of Jo Cox MP in June 2016?

• How much has been spent on additional security measures for MPs at their homes and offices since the general election on June 8th?

Please find below the amount spent on claims for security by MPs since the dates requested. For clarity, we have separated the total cost into the budgets from which they were claimed.

These figures include monthly maintenance payments as well as one-off costs.

• How many lone worker devices have been claimed for since the murder of Jo Cox MP in June 2016?

• How many lone worker devices have been claimed for since the general election on June 8th?

Prior to Chubb being awarded the security contract in 2016, MPs who wanted lone worker devices were required to apply to IPSA by submitting the relevant invoices. Once received, these were logged and the relevant expense option was opened to them on the expense system. As such, the information we hold relates to the number of applications made for lone worker devices, not the number of devices.

However, since the introduction of the streamlined security option, MPs can now opt to order lone worker devices directly through Chubb – instead of purchasing themselves and applying to IPSA for reimbursement. IPSA then pays Chubb directly for the devices purchased, and the maintenance costs. The data we hold does not include lone worker devices purchased through Chubb.

As such, the information in the table below relates to the number of approved applications made to IPSA for lone worker devices, excluding any purchased through Chubb, since the dates requested.

• How many MPs have claimed for an enhanced security package since the murder of Jo Cox MP in June 2016?

• How many MPs have claimed for an enhanced security package since the general election on June 8th?

Please find below the number of approved applications for enhanced security since the dates requested.

[1] Further information on the Chubb contract can be found in a bulletin sent to MPs on 28 September 2016. Copies of all bulletins sent to MPs and their staff can be found on our website.