Alun Cairns, MP's toll payment to cross the Prince of Wales Bridge

Request

On December 16 2018, Alun Cairns, the Secretary of State for Wales, became the last person to pay a toll in order to cross the Prince of Wales Bridge from England into Wales.

Was the fare paid by Alun Cairns personally, or was the money provided or reimbursed as a Ministerial or Parliamentary Expense?


Response

IPSA does not hold the information you request.

Under the MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses (‘the Scheme’), Travel and Subsistence claims may be made for the costs of travel and travel-related subsistence expenditure undertaken by an MP or others, which are necessarily incurred in the performance of the MP’s parliamentary functions.

I can confirm that IPSA has not received an expense claim for Alun Cairns’ toll payment following his crossing of the Prince of Wales Bridge from England into Wales on the 16 December 2018.

I should note however, that MPs have 90 days in which to submit a claim, and claims are published on our website. In addition to this, if the journey was undertaken as part of Mr Cairns’ ministerial duties, as opposed to his parliamentary duties, then any expense claims would be covered by the government rather than IPSA.

This concludes our response to your request.

Ref:
CAS-129714
Disclosure:
10 January 2019
Categories:
COPIES OF RECEIPTS/INVOICESMPs' TRAVEL
Exemptions Applied:
None