My Expenses

Further breakdown of Additional Costs Allowance

* Admin error resulted in payment of £1000 less than claim.

** Admin error resulted in payment of £977.99 less than claim.

Additional Costs Allowance

The Additional Costs Allowance (cost of staying away from main home/ACA) is paid to reimburse Members for necessary costs incurred when staying overnight away from their main home for the purpose of performing parliamentary duties. Inner London Members do not receive this allowance.  This allowance ensures that I can pay Council Tax, utilities and management fees and subsist whilst carrying out my parliamentary duties in London

Incidental Expenses Provision (IEP), Office running costs & staffing costs

These budgets support Members in undertaking their parliamentary and constituency work.  This budget ensures that I can pay rent and rates for my offices in Alloa and Crieff but also for the hiring of town and village halls to allow me to carry out surgeries throughout the constituency.  The budget also allows me to purchase equipment and supplies for office or surgery work.  The Staffing Allowance is paid to enable Members to employ staff and I employ three full time members of staff and three part time members of staff to operate my offices in Alloa, Crieff and London. Staff salaries are paid directly to staff by the House of Commons Department of Resources.

Centrally purchased stationery

This sets out the cost of stationery items ordered from a central supplier for use in direct connection with a Member’s parliamentary duties.  These supplies include my letterheads, compliments slips, envelopes etc which allow me to communicate effectively with constituents.

Postage associated with the use of centrally purchased stationery

This budget sets out the cost of postage associated with the use of stationery with pre-paid postage ordered from the central supplier for use in direct connection with Members’ parliamentary duties.  This allows me to respond to constituents who contact me.

Centrally provided computer equipment

This area sets out the cost of equipment supplied on loan to each Member.  The provision allows Members two printers and a maximum of five computers, comprised of up to four desktop PCs and three laptops. The figures show the asset value spread over a four-year period.  I operate offices in Alloa, Crieff and London and IT equipment is vital in the operation of each of these offices.

Other costs

This sets out costs incurred from central budgets, including:

• a temporary secretarial allowance for additional help when Members' staff are absent due to sickness or maternity leave;
• additional security costs for the office up to a maximum entitlement of £1,500;
• exceptional needs support which provides for short term additional help to Members whose constituencies have particular problems;
• a winding-up allowance (WUA) payable to defeated or retiring Members after the date on which they cease to be Members of Parliament. This covers the reimbursement of the cost of any work necessary, including staff and office costs, to conclude their parliamentary business after the date on which they cease to be Members of Parliament.

Communications Allowance

The Communications Allowance is used to meet expenses for:

• Regular reports and constituency newsletters
• Questionnaires and surveys
• Petitions
• Targeted communications
• Contact cards
• Distribution costs including direct mailing and postage
• Websites
• Some capital purchases

The Communications Allowance is vital to ensure that constituents are aware of my office(s) as a point of contact and support.  Please note the Communications Allowance only came into operation in 2007/08 so no comparable figures are available for previous years.

Members’ Travel

Members’ travel entitlements cover the cost of travel on parliamentary business within the UK; European travel; and select committee travel to and from committee embarkation points (but not the cost of the visit itself).

Members' spouse and family travel
Members’ spouses, civil partners and children up to the age of 18 are each entitled to up to 30 single journeys each year between London and the constituency or the Member’s main home. The figures relate to total costs and numbers of journeys made.  My wife on occasion does travel to London.

Members' employee travel

Each Member is entitled to claim costs of up to a total of 24 single journeys for staff per year between Westminster and the constituency. The figures relate to total costs and numbers of journeys made.  On occasion members of my staff are required to travel to London to undertake training courses and to cover staff absence in my Westminster office and vice versa.  Members of my staff are also entitled to claim mileage whilst traveling to work in my Crieff office.

Further information

The Green Book provides further details about parliamentary salaries, allowances and pensions. Additional information and links to information relating to House of Lords Members' allowances is available on the Members' Allowances for both Houses page.