Copeland MP Trudy Harrison cost the taxpayer almost £191,000 in the last financial year, new figures reveal.
Figures from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority show the Conservative MP’s total business costs for the 2019-20 financial year were £190,457.48.
The Copeland MP’s costs were above the average for other members of parliament elected before December 2019, of £188,295.
Mrs Harrison spent £152,391.67 on office running costs in 2019-20, including £137,584.24 on staff wages and £14,807.43 on other office expenditures.
She spent £25,744.59 of her accommodation budget (of £33,790), and a further £12,742.05 on travel and subsistence.
The total cost of MPs last year rose by seven per cent to £127.6 million – including £5.58 million on travel and subsistence claims, and at least £718,700 on hotel claims – though 2019-20 does include more MPs as a result of new members following the election.
The IPSA figures also reveal the individual claims made by Mrs Harrison in 2019-20.
The most expensive single claim, outside of annual staff pay, was £3,226 for pooled staffing services.
Further details provided said this was for Policy Research Unit (Conservative).
At the other end of the scale, the smallest one-off expense she claimed was £0.88 for stationery and printing.
Mrs Harrison said: “All expenses, which are actually the costs associated with running two offices including staff wages and office equipment are recorded with the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and all information is made available as required.
“I’m extremely grateful to my team who have worked incredibly hard over the last year in particular, handling difficult calls with the upmost of professionalism and dedication.”
IPSA said the preparations for a General Election and the pandemic had had a significant impact on their work during the 2019-20 financial year, and on Parliament.
Interim chair Richard Lloyd added: “In March we moved to full working from home for all our staff, and put in place a package of practical support for MPs and their staff to help them continue to serve their constituents during the COVID crisis.
“Every month over 4,000 MPs and staff have their salaries paid and business costs reimbursed, within the rules set independently by IPSA.
It’s good for confidence in our system that compliance with the rules is very high, at 99.97 per cent.
“Through IPSA, taxpayers can be assured that public money has been spent appropriately by Members of Parliament, and that we have helped them to serve their constituents during the most difficult of times.”
MPs’ costs are usually broken down into dozens of categories, with staff pay almost always the largest expense.
Cumbrian MPs
Trudy Harrison, Copeland, elected in 2017
Total: £190,457.48
- Office costs: £13,231.04
- Payroll: £137,584.24
- Accommodation: £28,324.48
- Travel: £11,317.72 Mrs Harrison £6,292.74; staff £4,699.38; dependant £325.60
Simon Fell, Barrow and Furness, elected in 2019
Total: £36,761.75
- Office costs: £14,028.33
- Staffing: £15,630.96 (Payroll £14,355.96. Bought-in £90)
- Accommodation: £2,945.23
- Travel: £4,157.23: MP £2,865.33; staff £1,291.90
- Least expensive cost: £1.20 for parking in Ulverston
John Stevenson, Carlisle, elected in 2010
Total: £191,072.71
- Office costs: £23,777.97
- Staffing: £139,817.14,. Payroll: £134,275.14; pooled staffing services: £3,142. Bought-in services: £2,400
- Hotel in London: £13,934.00
- Travel: £13,543.60 MP £10,301.70; staff £3,241.90.
- Least expensive cost: 62p for postage
Neil Hudson, Penrith and the Border, elected in 2019
Total: £29,968.38
- Office costs: £5,036.70
- Staffing £19,357.82 (payroll £18,472.82; pooled staff £885.00
- Accommodation £3,538.89
- Travel £2,034.97
- Least expensive cost: 45p for fuel
Tim Farron, Westmorland and Lonsdale, elected 2005
Total: £204,349.61
- Office costs £16,891.47
- Staffing £155,505.36 – payroll £154,005.36; bought-in services £1,500
- Accommodation £20,287.43
- Travel £11,665.35 – MP £8,914.70; staff £2,750.65
- Least expensive cost: £1.50 for postage
Mr Farron also spent £960 for regular articles to be written on his behalf between April and December 2019.
Mark Jenkinson, Workington, elected 2019
Total: £53,900.22
- Office costs: £11,131.50
- Staffing: £25,640.73. Payroll: £17604.35; Bought-in services £1452.58; Training staff £5698.80
- Accommodation: £5,685.00, including hotels in London at £3,150
- Maintenance, redecoration, and repairs: £5,820.
- Travel: £5,622.99; MP £4,654.69; staff £834.60; dependant £133.70
- Least expensive cost: £1.82 postage to House of Commons
Mr Jenkinson also spent £5,622.99 on staff training with the Centre for Leadership Performance.
