Details of MPs’ TV licence expense claims

Request

Under the Freedom of Information Act, could you please let me know how many UK MPs claim for TV licences on their expenses. I have looked on your website but does not go into detail.


Response

IPSA holds the information that you request.

Under the Scheme of MPs' Business Costs and Expenses ('the Scheme'), MPs are permitted, to claim for expenses legitimately incurred whilst carrying out their parliamentary duties and are required to certify that this is the case before submitting claims. This includes the cost of a television licence, which can be claimed for their constituency office, from the office costs budget. Under the Scheme, MPs cannot claim for the cost of a TV licence at their accommodation.

The information you have requested is available on IPSA’s website.

  • At the top of the page, select the financial year you are interested in, and then select ‘individual claims’. Click on Download.

  • When you have downloaded the spreadsheet, you should apply filters by clicking on the ‘sort and filter button’.

  • In column G ‘Expense Type’, apply the filter by ‘Television Licence Purchase’.

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).

This concludes our response to your request.

Ref:
CAS-146721
Disclosure:
18 July 2019
Categories:
MPs' OFFICE COSTS
Exemptions Applied: