Jailed Barnsley MP Eric Illsley ran up £151,000 allowances bill

Former Barnsley Central MP Eric Illsley spent £151,245 in allowances, partly as a result of the cost of winding up his office after quitting Parliament following his conviction.

The former Labour politician was jailed for 12 months earlier this year after admitting overclaiming £14,500 of expenses out of “greed”, but was released on a curfew in May.

Records released by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) revealed Illsley’s claim – second only to Labour frontbencher David Lammy, the Tottenham MP – included £38,690 in winding-up allowances as he closed his office. He also claimed £5,224 for travel and subsistence and spent £93,623 on staff.

A new tougher regime in the wake of the expenses scandal means claims now have to be backed up by receipts, details are published more frequently and tighter restrictions have been placed on what can be claimed.

Yesterday IPSA revealed a summary of all claims by MPs in 2010-11. It showed that Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, the Morley and Outwood MP, was the region’s second most expensive MP, claiming £103,023.74.

Mr Balls and Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell were the two MPs to spend more than £100,000 on staff, while at the other end of the scale York Outer MP Julian Sturdy spent just £50,350. Mr Balls was also the most expensive for general administration costs, spending £12,486.

Mr Balls said: “As a local MP, my top priority is representing people across Morley and Outwood. This year we faced the additional cost pressures of moving office and setting up a new one accessible to all constituents following the substantial boundary changes which created the new Morley and Outwood constituency, as well as a long-term staff illness.

“The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority sets aside funds each year to enable Members of Parliament to effectively represent constituents, and I think it is important that MPs work hard for their area.”

Shadow Health Secretary John Healey, MP for Wentworth, was most expensive for travel and subsistence spending £11,099.87.

He said: “The figure reflects the good deal of travelling I do around the constituency and between our home in Rotherham and London. The extra demands as Shadow Health Secretary mean I am often less able to book in advance or travel off peak than other MPs.”

Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams spent most on accommodation at £19,292.70.

And Labour’s Chief Whip Rosie Winterton, MP for Doncaster Central, spent most on constituency office expenses – £12,064.56.

She said: “I have always had a fully-staffed office which is accessible to all my constituents, and which I believe provides an excellent service.

“To run my office I pay rent, and I also pay utilities, including water and electricity, cleaning and reception services and telephone lines. These costs are vital to keep the office functioning and for me to perform my duties as an MP.”

Twenty-two MPs from the region had to take out advances of up to £4,000 from the Parliamentary authorities to help them meet initial costs before they were reimbursed.

Analysis of the data reveals only three of the 15 most expensive Yorkshire MPs were new into the job in 2010, possibly because it took some of them longer to employ staff and get offices up and running.

The database shows that 137 politicians, including 17 in Yorkshire, employ family members, the lowest-paid receiving less than £4,999 while the top earners were awarded up to £44,999.

IPSA, set up in the wake of the expenses scandal to take the system out of Parliament’s control, said the release of annual totals for each MP was the “latest step in the new, transparent regime” which it believes will “help restore public confidence in Parliament”.

The campaign director at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, Emma Boon, said: “It’s fantastic that MPs’ expenses are now more transparent, but it’s a kick in the teeth for taxpayers to see that convicted criminal Eric Illsley was one of the big claimers last year.”