Expenses and business costs of Cumbria’s MPs have been revealed – with some claiming more than the average Parliamentarian.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has revealed that Workington Conservative MP Mark Jenkinson claimed £249,881.63 in business costs during the 2020-21 financial year and Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron claimed £249,444.28.
These are the highest costs for Cumbria’s MPs. By comparison, Darren Henry, a Tory MP for Broxtowe, had costs of £280,900 last year, while Philip Hollobone, the member for Kettering, had just £80,700.
On average MPs claim £203,880.
Kit Malthouse was the most expensive MP attending the Cabinet in 2020-21, with total costs of £244,312.
This was compared to £178,406 for Prime Minister Boris Johnson and £168,109 for Sir Keir Starmer.
The total costs of MPs last year rose by four per cent to £132.5 million, with almost £300,000 going on hotel claims for just 49 members.
Business costs are the essential costs incurred by MPs while carrying out their parliamentary duties including staffing, office costs and travel.
MPs cannot claim for personal costs, such as food and drink, during their normal working day, and all claims must be compliant with IPSA rules and accompanied by evidence
Mark Jenkinson, Workington – £249,881.63
Payroll was the largest expense for Mr Jenkinson last year costing £164,692.42. Rent was the second largest expense at £32,500, equipment cost £13,828.87, stationery and printing cost £5,400.51 and mileage £5,066.35.
Mr Jenkinson said: “My job is twofold. I represent my constituents at Westminster and I also work locally to solve issues that affect my constituents, and organisations and businesses within my constituency.
“Fundamentally, my job is to try to make life better for those living in the Workington constituency.
“The budgets that I have to work within are set by the Independent Parliament Standards Authority who also handle the evidence for every claim.
“Despite the narrative that some, including the media, would like to portray, it is incumbent on me to point out that none of it ends up in my pocket without me first having paid it out for allowable office costs which have to be approved by IPSA in line with the published scheme.
“Each MP is given several budgets including office costs, travel, security and staffing. It is important that I am able to carry out my duties as the MP for Workington in Westminster while at the same time, ensuring Workington constituents have direct access to my local office. I have one of the furthest constituencies from Westminster, in England as well as one of the largest by area.
“The vast majority of my office costs are staffing, which is handled directly by IPSA within their defined job descriptions and payscales.
“I have chosen to employ all of my staff locally in Cumberland to provide my constituents with as much face to face assistance on their doorstep as is required, acknowledging that we open on average 250 new cases per week.”
Tim Farron, Westmorland and Lonsdale – £249,444.28
Mr Farron claimed £194,030 for staffing, £35,457.40 for office costs, £19,935.24 on accommodation and £8,114.75 on travel costs.
His office costs included £4,064.90 for bought-in services, £313 for new equipment, £23.40 for newspapers and magazines, £4 for postage and £124.55 for waste disposal. Rent was £2,400.
He claimed £244.80 in mileage, paid £547 for parking and spent £631 on rail travel, plus £12.60 for taxis.
Mr Farron said: “Like always, the vast majority of my expenditure goes on paying my amazing staff who work tirelessly for constituents.
“Since the pandemic began in March 2020, my team have helped me to complete over 23,600 cases for local residents from helping people to get important treatment for their mental health, to helping to get generators to people without power after Storm Arwen.”
Trudy Harrison, Copeland – £207,057.12
Copeland MP Trudy Harrison claimed £207,057.12 in business costs for the 2020-21, up from £197,732.92 the year before and slightly above the average MP’s expenses of £203,880.
Mrs Harrison’s largest type of business cost was payroll at £164,956.11, accommodation at £17,160, rail at £3,894.74, pooled staffing services at £3,056 and utilities at £2,514.74.
The Copeland MP also claimed £1,238.83 to support staff to work from home during the pandemic.
Mrs Harrison said: “It is absolutely right that my expenses, and those of every MP, are published and open to scrutiny so taxpayers can see exactly where their money is being spent.
“My biggest expenditure is on my staff, whom I hold in the highest regard and who go above and beyond every day for our constituents.
“In terms of travel and accommodation, as an MP who lives some distance away from London, my costs are unavoidably higher than those who live in or closer to Westminster.
“The remainder of my expenses relate to everyday costs one would expect in order for myself and my team to carry out Parliamentary duties, including phone, broadband, IT and utilities for my constituency office in Bootle.
“It is clear when you view my expenses that every penny is accounted for and I keep tight control on expenditure.”
John Stevenson, Carlisle – £197,516.17
The Carlisle Conservative MP’s office expenses of £29,301.02 included £2,988 on pooled staffing services and paid £5,040.30 in business rates. He spent £1,157.94 renting equipment and £258.26 on postage and couriers. His utilities were £142.33 and rent was £1,000.
He spent £143,747.95 on staffing costs, £15,781 on accommodation, and £6,034.80 on travel. He spent £36 on parking and £740 on rail.
Mr Stevenson has been contacted for comment.
Simon Fell, Barrow and Furness – £189,356.21
The Conservative MP claimed £36,124.60 on office costs. This included £456 for advertising and contact cards, £437.60 for bought-in services; £645.83 for newspapers and magazines; rent of £1,788.32 and £10 for cleaning services.
£130,152.88 on staffing, £9,574.41 on accommodation and £13,504.32 on travel.
Mr Fell has been contacted for comment.
Neil Hudson, Penrith and the Border – £176,000
Conservative MP Dr Hudson spent £3,725.77 on office expenses, including £1,447.60 on stationery and printing, £300 on his website and design; and £581.13 on utilities.
He claimed £111.60 mileage, £2,388 for recruitment services and costs and £1,254.22 on a working from home allowance.
He spent £136,486.78 on staffing costs, £15,313.94 on accommodation and a total of £869.01 on travel.
Dr Hudson said: “It is only right that the public get to see all MPs’ expenses, so they can see exactly where taxpayers’ money has been spent.
“My expenditure is well within the parameters set by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA).
“The majority of my Parliamentary costs were to cover staffing of my office.
“My staff do a fantastic job and help me serve my constituents to the best of my ability.
“The working from home allowance was not awarded to me personally but was provided by IPSA to my staff who understandably have had to work from home for significant periods during the pandemic.”
