Commons: Expenses chaos branded disgrace

Labour MP David Winnick said it was "disgraceful" that the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) is making members fund essential spending up-front, and that staffing budgets had been effectively cut.

The criticism came as MPs started breaking cover to voice frustration with the new system, introduced in the wake of the hugely damaging scandal last year.

Several are believed to have approached Speaker John Bercow with complaints, but he has made clear he will not intervene in the day-to-

day working of Ipsa – which now has sole responsibility for processing MPs' salaries and expenses.

The watchdog has rejected criticism of the new arrangements, insisting they are "both fair to the public purse and to MPs".

But Mr Winnick, who campaigned to get MPs' expenses details released and was not criticised over his own claims, told the Press Association: "What's now happened is a disgrace. It undermines the work that MPs and their staff are doing.

"No one would argue the need for proper documentation about every penny of expenditure. The scandal that shamed and humiliated Parliament should never be repeated.

"But this is another type of scandal. It must be an absolute nightmare for new members, having to find all this money up front."

The Walsall North MP criticised Ipsa for recruiting Press officers rather than bolstering its administration.

"Why don't, instead of having a communications manager, they improve the (telephone) helpline? When you ring they say they are not in a position to give any guidance whatsoever."

He warned that those MPs who do not have private means are finding it difficult to meet bills up front, such as rent for office space and accommodation. Many such costs were previously met by the Commons Fees Office directly.

"I am not concerned about prosperous MPs, who have money or outside earnings. But it is extremely unfair on those coming to the House from backgrounds where salaries are not extremely high," he said.

Mr Winnick insisted one of the first actions of the new Commons Public Accounts Committee should be to look into the costs and operation of Ipsa.