Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to be investigated over allowances – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 18th, 2009 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“Jacqui Smith, the British Home Secretary, will face a formal sleaze inquiry after claiming thousands of pounds in tax payer-funded housing allowances while lodging with her sister.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th February 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Complaint lodged with watchdog over Smith’s expenses – The Independent

Posted February 10th, 2009 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“A complaint has been made to the parliamentary sleaze watchdog about Home Secretary Jacqui Smith claiming allowances for a second home while living as a lodger with her sister, it was confirmed today.”

Full story

The Independent, 9th February 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

MPs defy the judges to keep ‘John Lewis’ expenses list secret – The Times

Posted January 16th, 2009 in expenses, freedom of information, news, parliament by sally

“Details of MPs’ claims for plasma televisions, furniture and cleaning bills will be kept secret after Harriet Harman bowed to backbenchers’ pressure to stop expenses claims being published.”

Full story

The Times, 16th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Finch and another v Richardson – WLR Daily

Posted December 17th, 2008 in elections, expenses, law reports, local government by sally

Finch and another v Richardson [2008] EWHC 3067 (QB); [2008] WLR (D) 389

For the purposes of provisions in the Representation of the People Act 1983 in relation to illegal practices and to errors or false statements in declarations, ignorance of the law could constitute ‘inadvertence’ so as to provide an excuse for such errors and statements.”

WLR Daily, 16th December 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.



Inquiry clears cabinet couple over cash for second home – The Guardian

Posted October 9th, 2008 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“A clampdown on MPs’ expenses has been proposed in the wake of an investigation which cleared husband and wife Cabinet ministers Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper of breaking House of Commons rules.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th October 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lib Dem whip broke postage rules – BBC News

Posted July 11th, 2008 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“A senior Lib Dem MP broke parliamentary rules by sending newsletters to constituents at taxpayers’ expense, the Commons standards watchdog says.”

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BBC News, 11th July 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Cabinet couple under investigation over expenses – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2008 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“Parliamentary authorities have halted part of a major overhaul of MPs’ expenses because of an investigation by parliament’s sleaze watchdog into cabinet ministers Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper, it emerged today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th June 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

End of the John Lewis list as MPs’ expenses slashed – The Times

Posted June 25th, 2008 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“MPs will be banned from buying furniture, installing new kitchens or buying televisions on expenses but will be given a £4,200 a year subsistence allowance which can be claimed without receipts.”

Full story

The Times, 25th June 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Report set to recommend stricter checks on MPs’ expenses – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2008 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“MPs’ expenses claims could be subject to stricter checks under plans to reform the system for parliamentary allowances being published this morning.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th June 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Standards watchdog to investigate Spelman over nanny claims – The Guardian

Posted June 17th, 2008 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“Caroline Spelman is to face an official inquiry by parliament’s sleaze watchdog into expenses claims in relation to her nanny, it was announced today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th June 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Freedom Of Information: MPs reach end of road in battle over secret expenses – The Independent

Posted May 23rd, 2008 in expenses, freedom of information, parliament, special report by sally

“A request to see MPs’ expenses seemed innocuous enough. But, says Robert Verkaik, Law Editor, the Commons authorities decided to fight it tooth and nail.”

Full story

The Independent, 23rd May 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Corporate Officer of the House of Commons v Information Commissioner and Others – Times Law Reports

Posted May 22nd, 2008 in disclosure, expenses, freedom of information, law reports, parliament by sally

Corporate Officer of the House of Commons v Information Commissioner and Others

Queen’s Bench Division

“Shortcomings in transparency and accountability in the system of paying additional costs allowances to Members of Parliament justified full disclosure of detailed information concerning those payments of their residential expenses.”

The Times, 22nd May 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Corporate Officer of the House of Commons v Information Commissioner and others – WLR Daily

Posted May 20th, 2008 in expenses, freedom of information, law reports, parliament by sally

Corporate Officer of the House of Commons v Information Commissioner and others [2008] EWHC 1084 (Admin); [2008] WLR (D) 155

“The obligation to provide information for disclosure pursuant to s 1(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 was distinct from and not limited by the obligation to provide information for disclosure in a publication scheme pursuant to s 19 of that Act. Members of Parliament could not expect to contract out of compliance with the freedom of information legislation nor expect the House of Commons, for its own purposes, to suspend or dispense with legislation without expressly amending or repealing it. Details of a member’s residential address did not benefit from exemption under s40 of the 2000 Act and disclosure was justified in accordance with para 6(1) of Schedule 2 to the Data Protection Act 1998 where it was ordered as part of a disclosure of information concerning a deeply flawed system of payment of members’ expenses.”

WLR Daily, 19th May 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Speaker ends attempt to gag MPs’ expenses – The Guardian

Posted May 20th, 2008 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“Michael Martin, the Speaker of the House of Commons, has abandoned a legal bid, costing taxpayers £150,000, to keep secret a detailed breakdown of MPs’ expenses.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th May 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs’ expenses: extracts from the judgment – The Guardian

Posted May 16th, 2008 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“Extracts from the high court judgment today ordering the publication of full details of the expenses claimed by 14 MPs and ex-MPs relating to their second homes.”

Full story

The Guardian, 16th May 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs lose legal fight to keep expenses secret – The Independent

Posted May 16th, 2008 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“The House of Commons has lost its High Court battle over an information watchdog’s decision to force disclosure of MPs’ expenses.”

Full story

The Independent, 16th May 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court to rule on disclosure of MPs’ expenses – The Independent

Posted May 16th, 2008 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“The High Court will rule today on whether the House of Commons has won its bid to overturn an information watchdog’s decision to force disclosure of MPs’ expenses.”

Full story

The Independent, 16th May 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Detective charged over credit card misuse – The Independent

Posted May 9th, 2008 in expenses, misfeasance in public office, news, police by sally

“A second Metropolitan Police officer has been charged in connection with an investigation into the alleged misuse of corporate credit cards.”

Full story

The Independent, 9th May 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Anti-sleaze watchdog attacks MPs for high court appeal – The Guardian

Posted April 14th, 2008 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“The legal bid by the House of Commons to keep the publication of MPs’ expenses under wraps suggests they have something to hide, Whitehall’s anti-sleaze watchdog said today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th April 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Crisis Lords meetings over sleaze allegations – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2008 in corruption, expenses, news, parliament by sally

“Crisis meetings are to take place in the House of Lords today over a series of sleaze allegations against peers, the Guardian can disclose. These include accusations that cash has been taken from lobbyists, passes handed out to commercial interests and expenses improperly claimed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 31st March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk