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377 M Ps Had Their Credit Card Suspended...
...and then that disgraceful fact was hushed up by the expenses watchdog.
// The parliamentary expenses watchdog tried to cover up data showing 377 MPs, including nine cabinet ministers, have had their credit cards suspended for wrong, incomplete or late claims. //
In other words, more that half of all MPs were caught making bogus, fraudulent or misleading expenses claims on their credit card purchases., and had their cards suspended.
And the system where MPs police themselves through a watchdog of MPs, was in collusion to keep that information secret from the voting public.
https:/
// The parliamentary expenses watchdog tried to cover up data showing 377 MPs, including nine cabinet ministers, have had their credit cards suspended for wrong, incomplete or late claims. //
In other words, more that half of all MPs were caught making bogus, fraudulent or misleading expenses claims on their credit card purchases., and had their cards suspended.
And the system where MPs police themselves through a watchdog of MPs, was in collusion to keep that information secret from the voting public.
https:/
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as far as I know, anyone can do that, Gromit.
A good thing too. About 30 years ago you used to be able to go into HMRC's local offices and they'd help calculate it for you on the spot. The last time I did this, they calculated it wrong and when I gave them a cheque they lost it. The first I knew of all this was when they sent me a threatening demand for late payment a year or so afterward. So since then I use an accountant.
A good thing too. About 30 years ago you used to be able to go into HMRC's local offices and they'd help calculate it for you on the spot. The last time I did this, they calculated it wrong and when I gave them a cheque they lost it. The first I knew of all this was when they sent me a threatening demand for late payment a year or so afterward. So since then I use an accountant.
Gromit - // / they have people do it for them, because it's time-consuming //
Yep. They have Accountants do it for them, then claim the Accountants invoice on expenses. //
Not in this instance - people use accountants for end-of-year tax returns, and claiming for their services is a legitimate expense.
As I have pointed out, a member of each MP's support staff will handle the expenses - not their accountants.
Yep. They have Accountants do it for them, then claim the Accountants invoice on expenses. //
Not in this instance - people use accountants for end-of-year tax returns, and claiming for their services is a legitimate expense.
As I have pointed out, a member of each MP's support staff will handle the expenses - not their accountants.
// As I have pointed out, a member of each MP's support staff will handle the expenses //
OK, then as in Derek Conway’s case, it is easy to see why the job was done half ar$ed.
// the disgraced MP Derek Conway had paid his son to work for him, even though he was studying full-time at Newcastle University. //
OK, then as in Derek Conway’s case, it is easy to see why the job was done half ar$ed.
// the disgraced MP Derek Conway had paid his son to work for him, even though he was studying full-time at Newcastle University. //
From the Telegraph article, "In total there have been 1,114 suspensions of MPs’ payment cards since the 2015 election. Of these 987 relate to an inability to submit receipts or answer Ipsa’s queries in the required timeframe.
In 125 cases an MP’s credit card has been suspended because they have failed to repay money spent on the card which was ineligible under the rules."
Not the same picture as painted in the OP.
In 125 cases an MP’s credit card has been suspended because they have failed to repay money spent on the card which was ineligible under the rules."
Not the same picture as painted in the OP.
If you think about it, MP's can be stupid, but that many of them are not that stupid.
As I have opined already, I think the suspension process kicks in as soon as an expense is queried, which explains the high numbers involved.
The fact is, most expenses queries are easily sorted out - it's just a slightly over-zealous computer action, probably put in place after the expenses scandal a few years ago, to flag up any areas of concern.
As I have opined already, I think the suspension process kicks in as soon as an expense is queried, which explains the high numbers involved.
The fact is, most expenses queries are easily sorted out - it's just a slightly over-zealous computer action, probably put in place after the expenses scandal a few years ago, to flag up any areas of concern.
andy hughes, that's not quite the case, judging from TCL's post.
///987 relate to an inability to submit receipts or answer Ipsa’s queries in the required timeframe.///
Inability to submit receipts sounds fairly stupid to me. I always used to submit receipts; it's pretty much a no brainer. Inability to answer Ipsa's queries suggests they weren't immediately suspended, they were asked to clarify and ... didn't? couldn't? I'd certainly suspend them until they pulled their fingers out.
///In 125 cases an MP’s credit card has been suspended because they have failed to repay money spent on the card which was ineligible under the rules///
In other words they left you and me to pay the bill for their own purchases till they were good and ready to settle their debts; 125 is really quite a lot of cases.
I don't share your benign view of MPs' fiscal responsibility; doubtless a few cases will be accidental oversights (though I seldom "accidentally" forget to pay my own bills; how about you?) but a lot of it sounds like the old aristocratic habit of running up bills and rarely or never settling them.
///987 relate to an inability to submit receipts or answer Ipsa’s queries in the required timeframe.///
Inability to submit receipts sounds fairly stupid to me. I always used to submit receipts; it's pretty much a no brainer. Inability to answer Ipsa's queries suggests they weren't immediately suspended, they were asked to clarify and ... didn't? couldn't? I'd certainly suspend them until they pulled their fingers out.
///In 125 cases an MP’s credit card has been suspended because they have failed to repay money spent on the card which was ineligible under the rules///
In other words they left you and me to pay the bill for their own purchases till they were good and ready to settle their debts; 125 is really quite a lot of cases.
I don't share your benign view of MPs' fiscal responsibility; doubtless a few cases will be accidental oversights (though I seldom "accidentally" forget to pay my own bills; how about you?) but a lot of it sounds like the old aristocratic habit of running up bills and rarely or never settling them.
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