Resettlement payments made to former MPs

Request

I recently sent a FoI request to yourself demanding to know who was trying to stop the information about 'golden goodbyes' coming into the public domain, and why. I have not received a reply. The twenty day-limit has long gone so yet again I have to ask. Of course I should not have to do this; you have had more than adequate time to answer my questions.

Response

I am afraid that we do not hold this information. IPSA took over responsibilities for MPs' expenses after the General Election in May 2010. Any resettlement payments made at that time were the responsibility of the House of Commons.

IPSA's rules do not at present allow for a resettlement payment to be made to an MP on leaving Parliament as IPSA's Board has taken the view that should there be any such payments, these should form pay of an MPs' pay and pensions arrangements. As IPSA has not yet got the powers to set MPs' pay and pensions, IPSA's Board has yet to consider whether or not such payments should in future be made.

You may therefore wish to direct your request to the House of Commons (http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/foi/foi-general/commons-foi/).

Ref:
FOI2011-062
Disclosure:
22 May 2011
Categories:
MPs' PAY AND PENSIONS
Exemptions Applied:
None