10th December 2009.

You can view the latest details of my expenses by following the link below:

http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/madeleine-moon/

Sir Thomas Legg has fully reviewed these expenses and has raised no concerns.

Sir Thomas Legg's Letter

I have received Sir Thomas Legg's letter which sets out his provisional conclusions on my use of the Additional Costs Allowance (ACA) over the past 5 years.

Along with a large number of Members, I have been asked to resupply copies of two years of mortgage interest statements, and with a change in the previous rules, to repay the removal cost of furniture bought in Wales.

Information about Madeleine's Expenses

Friday 29 May 2009

Dear Resident

I know how angry many people are about MPs' expenses. I'm angry too -and recognise that the system needs to be completely changed.

And if people have behaved fraudulently then they should be punished just like anyone else.

I have always wanted to be open with you about how I do my job and the costs I've incurred. I have always sought to explain the work I do as an MP to constituents through yearly reports, regular Parliamentary updates and newspaper articles.

I am attaching details on my website of my Additional Costs Allowance which relates to claims for expenses incurred for living in London. I have also attached the Communication Allowance details which paid for the Parliamentary reports, updates and information sheets.

I am very happy to answer any other questions you would like answered.

Best wishes as always

Madeleine Moon

Madeleine's Expenses.

I believe MPs should be directly answerable to their constituents for the way they use their allowances to live and work away from home. I have voluntarily published my own expenses.

There are five Parliamentary allowances these enable MP's to carry out their Parliamentary duties. All are separate from, and not part of my salary. Rules govern each allowance and compliance is monitored by the Department of Resources. The rules are contained in The Green Book.

On April 1st a new Green Book was issued because of abuses under the old rules. You can read the new Green Book here:

Greenbook

Click to find out more about the allowances and what they can be used for

I thought it may be helpful to put together some answers to questions people may have. You may want to read through these before or after reading the documents.

View Madeleine's Expenses

Click on the icons below to see my expenses.

Additional Costs Allowance 2005/06

Additional Costs Allowance 2006/07

Additional Costs Allowance 2007/08

Communications Allowance 2007/08

Incidental Expenses Provision 2005/06

Incidental Expenses Provision 2006/07

Incidental Expenses Provision 2007/08

I invited local reporter, Phil Irwen, from the Glamorgan Gem to examine my expenses. You can read his article below:

The Gem puts the Spotlight on Madeleine Moon MP

You can read my rebuttal to the Daily Telegraph's article below:

What happens next?

What reforms have been made so far?

On Tuesday 19th May all the party leaders agreed to some immediate reforms, to tide the system over until Sir Christopher Kelly's committee reports back:
• All MPs' expenses claim over the past four years are being re-examined and any deemed to have been outside the rules will have to be repaid.
• MPs will only be able to use the second homes allowance for rent, hotel bills, "overnight subsistence", mortgage interest, council tax, utility charges and insurance.
• Claims for mortgage interest and rent payments will also be capped at £1,250 a month
• MPs will also not be able to change the property they designate as their second home - which are eligible for expenses - in 2009/10.
• MPs who are couples will be obliged to nominate the same main home and will only be able to claim one person's accommodation allowance between them.
• All claims will be published quarterly online.
• MPs selling homes will not be able to avoid capital gains tax by telling Revenue and Customs one thing and the Commons another about which is their second home
• Mortgage claims must be accurate, for interest only and on continuing loans.
• A clear test of "reasonableness" will be applied to all claims by the Department of Resources in an effort to "tighten up" allowances.
• Claims which are the subject of any doubts will be refused with no opportunity of appeal.

Government will also consult on setting up a new Parliamentary Standards Authority, which would be able to disallow claims, order some to be repaid and issue financial penalties. It would also regulate and administer peers' allowances

What is the Kelly Review?

The Prime Minister has asked Sir Christopher Kelly and the Committee on Standards in Public Life to look at all of the relevant issues involved in MPs' allowances as speedily as possible.

The Committee published an Issues and Questions paper on the 23rd April outlining the scope of the inquiry and calling for written evidence from all interested parties and the general public. The closing date for written submissions is Friday 5th June.

The next stage of the inquiry will be a series of public hearings at which the Committee will take oral evidence from witnesses. For further details on these hearings and the inquiry please see the related links section on this page.

The overall objective of this inquiry is to devise a set of arrangements which command a much greater degree of public confidence, which properly supports MPs in their important and difficult jobs, which allows them to claim for expenses properly incurred without creating suspicion that they are somehow obtaining personal advantage, which hold MPs properly to account, and which is enforceable and sustainable over the longer term.