Pete Wishart's 14p fuel claim among MP expenses published by watchdog
Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart was paid 14p of public money for driving a third of a mile to visit a constituent.
- By David Clegg, political reporter
- Published in the Courier : 03.12.10
- Published online : 03.12.10 @ 05.31pm
The mileage payment was the smallest of 22,000 claims by MPs across the UK — totalling £3.1 million — published by a new watchdog set up in the wake of last year's expenses scandal.
They also revealed Gordon Brown spent more than £2500 of taxpayers' money travelling to and from London in the months following his resignation as prime minister, despite not speaking at Westminster once during the period.
The claims are the first approved by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) and cover the period from May 7 to August 31.
During that time the former prime minister, who remained MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, claimed for a series of flights for himself, his family and staff between Edinburgh and London. The total bill came to £2532.70, with three of the return journeys costing more than £350 each.
Mr Brown left Downing Street for the last time on May 11 and did not speak again in the Commons until November 1, after the period covered by these claims.
Constituency work
He was said to be concentrating on "constituency work," but there were no claims for office or constituency costs in the expenses published on Thursday.
They did include 15 submissions for air travel-nine for dependants, one for a member of staff and five for himself. Two of the claims were for just £1.
He also claimed back the cost of three single train tickets between London and Scotland, two of which were also for dependants. They cost £92, £113.50 and £144.
According to parliamentary records, Mr Brown voted at the Commons for the first time since resigning as prime minister on September 6.
04.42am - 04.12.2010 Dr J George - Inchture, Scotland Report This
In my dealings with him so far, Mr Wishart is an excellent MP and worth every one of those pennies. Besides, this pales into insignificance compared to some of the nonsense from MPs down south.
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