Rotherham MPs' expenses: milk, papers and stamps

The tiny claim came from John Healey, who topped the Rotherham trio with an £6,954 total mainly comprised travel and rent for his central London flat. 

The Wentworth and Dearne MP was also re-imbursed £50 for milk and papers at his constituency office.

Denis MacShane—currently being investigated by police over his previous expense and suspended by the Labour party—claimed £1,857 while Kevin Barron was repaid £3,402.

In publishing the May to August figures, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority chose not to publish actual receipts and invoices.

But Mr Healey, the shadow Health Secretary, has made these available to view at his High Street office, Wath.

Almost £2,000 was for train journeys between South Yorkshire and London, and car mileage claims mainly within his constituency.

He explained that the 28p postage charge was a Royal Mail invoice for his Freepost account, set up to make it easy for the public to contact him.

Mr Healey said: “As MPs we are elected to a position of public trust. Our salary and the allowances to support our work are all funded from public money, and the public have a right to know what it costs for me to do my job.

“That’s why I’ve been publishing a detailed breakdown of all claims on my website since April 2008, more than a year before the expenses scandal broke.

“All payments that have been made are re-imbursements for the actual costs incurred in running a busy constituency office, which is open to the public full-time, and working in Westminster for part of the time.”

Rotherham MP Dr MacShane—suspended from Labour after a 2009 complaint was referred to police in October—claimed no travel or rent payments.

His largest individual claim was a £354 phone bill and he spent nearly £800 on stationery.

Dr MacShane said: “Teething troubles with IPSA delayed submitting usual travel expenses, but I always travel on cheapest possible ticket as I have done for some years.

“I expect the next tranche to be higher as, like all MPs, I have found the IPSA computer system very complicated to use.

“But I’m pleased that all expenses are now published so voters can see where money goes.”

Mr Barron was paid £3,402 for costs incurred during the first four months after retaining his seat.

More than three-quarters of the Rother Valley member’s total was rent for his London home. The rest was made up of phone and utility bills and stationery.

Mr Barron said: “I haven’t claimed for some office supplies like milk and coffee because when people do it immediately gets into the press.”

The ex-miner added: “I’m at a time of my life when I can afford to do this now. But I do fear the local and national press’ attitude to expenses in the medium and long term will mean people from backgrounds in collieries and industry will not become MPs.”