Invoices submitted by MPs for legal costs

IPSA holds the information that you request.

Under the Scheme of MPs’ Business Costs and Expenses (‘the Scheme’), MPs can claim for legal costs that they have incurred in the exercise of their parliamentary functions. Most claims for reimbursement made under the Scheme should be accompanied by supporting evidence.

I will take your requests for information in turn.

• I would like to see the receipts and associated documentation submitted by MPs for the following "legal expenses"

• Ann Clwyd receipt for "office costs" "confidential employee matter"

• Ben Gummer, six claims in 2012 and 2013 described as "legal advice".

• Claire Perry, 2012, "employment practices liability excess" - £2000.

• David Morris - "legal services for staff harassment" - £300.

• Harriet Harman - 2010. "legal costs" - £3646.01

• Khalid Mahmood - £1500 - 2017 "legal cost"

• Kris Hopkins - "legal services" - 2016 - £1200

• Mike Crockart - 2012 - £849.01 - renewal

• Nigel Evans - £420 - 2015 "indep legal advice on employment issue".

Please find attached copies of the evidence submitted in support of the claims listed in your request. In accordance with section 40 of the FOIA, some information has been redacted from the invoices. Further information can be found below.

• Barbara Keeley - March 2013, "policy excess".  £2000.

• Helen Grant - 2012 - Insurance excess" - £2000

• Hywel Williams - 2014 - "claim under insurance" - £2000

• James Gray - 2012 - "***"  - £2000

• Jeremy Hunt - 2015 - *** - £2000

• Oliver Colville - "excess ref *** - £2000 - 2015

• Sheryll Murray - excess - 2012 - £2000

We are withholding the invoices associated with these claims under section 40 of the FOIA, as the invoices contain significant amounts of personal data which, if disclosed, would be likely to contravene the privacy rights of third parties in breach the Data Protection Act. Further information can be found below.

Exemptions applied

Section 40 – personal information

Section 40(2) provides that personal information (as defined by the Data Protection Act) about third parties is exempt information if disclosure would breach the fair processing principle (Principle 1) of the DPA, where it would be unfair to those persons or is confidential. You can find out more information about personal data and FOI via guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on their website: http://ico.org.uk.