NIGEL EVANS MP SETS OUT HIS POSITION ON PARLIAMENTARY EXPENSES CLAIMS ''The revelations of MPs allowances have quite rightly brought consternation and anger amongst the general public. A system that was rotten to the core was allowed to fester, and has contaminated the trust that people have in Parliament and their representatives.
Sorry seems to be the hardest word to say. That must change!
David Cameron has apologised to the country, and I apologise to you for not acting quicker to terminate this toxicity pervading our Parliament.
Urgent action is way overdue. I do not understand why we have to wait until November to bring on the necessary changes to the system.
I have written to Sir Christopher Kelly, the man charged with investigating all allowances and expenses, to ask him to bring forward interim proposals to change the housing allowance and for that to be brought into immediate effect.
I have written to the Speaker of the House of Commons asking for him to speed up the publication of all allowances. It is pretty pointless that we have to wait until July for full publication. This should be done with immediate effect.
Even though I was the 570th lowest spending MP out of 646 I am hardly complacent concerning the rot at the heart of our system.
Today I am introducing new changes to the way I report to the public.
All of my housing and office allowances will be published on my web site as they are made. All receipts for these claims will be made available at my offices in Clitheroe and they will be faxed the same day to them.
I will only claim for the running of the home and not for incidentals such as furniture. I will not claim for decorating the flat, repairs to the flat or any furniture, cleaning, dry cleaning, or any other incidental items- even though under the rules today they are allowed.
Only interest charged, utilities, telecoms, service charges and council tax will be claimed.
I will be discussing with my chairman of the Conservative Association what other measures I should be taking to ensure that transparency and fairness is introduced whilst we await the reform of this dreadful system.
In 18 years I have never employed any member of my family to work for me on my Parliamentary duties. I never will. I will not even have a member of my family intern for me for free! (Although I do love them!)
The vast majority of the claims made by MPs are well within the stupid rules. These rules now need to be torn up and replaced with something which is not tainted with the murky smog of snouts in troughs. Telling us that an array of items can be claimed for has been incredibly bonkers.
On a personal note I do hope that this same transparency which has acted as a catalyst for urgent change of MPs allowances will be introduced into every corner of public life. From Local Authorities to Quangos, from Hospitals to the BBC and of course the European Parliament- it all needs transparency and reform, and time is of the essence. We must not let this moment pass.''
- Nigel Evans, M.P |