Over claimed allowances in 2019

Request

Under an above request could I seek how many former MPs who left the House of Commons in the General Election of 2019 still owe money due to over claimed allowances to IPSA ? Further to the above could you please provide the name of the former MPs and the amount owed by each one?

Clarified as both, in response to our question:

Can you please define what you mean by over claimed allowances? Do you mean MPs claimed for items outside of the Scheme and have not reimbursed IPSA, or there was an error which resulted in them being paid too much and have not reimbursed IPSA?

Response

I can confirm that we hold information relevant to your request but it is subject to a Refusal Notice under section 38(1)(b) of the FOIA. This exemption applies where the disclosure of the information would, or would be likely to endanger the safety of any individual.

IPSA relies on this exemption to withhold the individual names of the former MPs and the amount currently owed by each. IPSA acknowledges that this is taxpayer’s money owed by former MPs and that disclosure of the detail would enable the public to understand which former MPs were in debt and the amount.

However, IPSA is also aware of the increase in media reporting on the threats made to MPs and their staff and we have no reason to believe that the identification of former MPs with debt would put them at much less of a threat of physical harm. Some former MPs may have moved on to other roles which keep them in the public spotlight and which may put both themselves and those associated with them at risk. Other former MPs may have taken a seat in the House of Lords.

IPSA maintains that we have a continuing duty of care to those who previously performed parliamentary duties and we also believe that disclosing the names of the former MPs and the amount of debt may prejudice IPSA’s ability to resolve the issue of the outstanding debt.

We, therefore, maintain that the public interest in withholding this information outweighs the public interest in disclosure at this time.

We are able to provide you with the overall number of former MPs and the current total debt owed as of 07 February 2022.

Total number of former MPs: 27
Total debt owed: £28,189.56

Information about the amount of debt owed and the reasons for debt are held in separate systems and it is not always clear from the correspondence as to the reason for the debt. It has therefore not been possible to provide any information on the reason for the outstanding debt, that is, whether it was an MP claiming for something outside the Scheme or having an overspend, or an administrative error by IPSA.

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Ref:
RFI-202109-20: Disclosure:
16 February 2022: Categories:
DEBTIPSA - FINANCIAL: Exemptions Applied:
Section 38(1)(b)