Expenses of MPs and Lords

Request

Specifically, you requested the up to date expenses for MPs and Members of the Lords. For the Members of the Lords you also asked for travel expenses, daily attendance allowance, overnight allowance and the number of Members of the House of Lords.


Response

In response to the first part of your request, I can confirm that IPSA publishes details of MPs expense claims on its website, individual payments to specific MPs can be viewed here. The information you have requested is therefore exempt from disclosure under section 21 of the FOIA (information accessible to applicant by other means) because the information can be searched and located through the IPSA website.

Details of expense claims submitted by MPs are published in three month cycles. The next publication date for expense claims is Thursday 7 April 2011. Details of any claims that IPSA has not approved for reimbursement will also be published on this date. Therefore, IPSA have taken the view that the information you have requested is exempt under Section 22(1) of the FOIA (Information intended for future publication).

We have considered whether the public interest in releasing the information outweighs the application of the exemption. It is our opinion that the public interest is best served by publishing the information at set dates, rather than on an ad hoc basis, as this way a clear and complete set of information is published, which should also avoid causing confusion. It is for these stated reasons that the application of the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

With regards to the second part of your request, IPSA does not hold this information. Please note IPSA is not responsible for the payment of expenses for Members of the Lords. Payment of Lords’ expenses are made directly by the House of Lords. You may therefore wish to redirect this part of your request to the House of Lords Information Office who will be able to assist you further. Contact details for the House of Lords are as follows: hlinfo@parliament.uk;  tel: 020 7219 3107.

Ref:
FOI2011-031
Disclosure:
3 March 2011
Categories:
GENERAL EXPENSES ENQUIRY
Exemptions Applied:
Section 21