Labour MP claims nearly 15,000 pounds for cleaning costs

Labour MP claims nearly 15,000 pounds for cleaning costs

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/09/05/18/10314497.html

05/17/2009 11:16 PM | By Patrick Sawer,, The Telegraph Group Limited, London 2009

London: A British Labour MP claimed thousands of pounds in expenses for the cost of cleaners, cleaning products, and laundry bills for his London home.

Mike Hall, the MP for Weaver Vale, in Cheshire, has charged nearly £15,000 (Dh83,496) in three years for his small, two-storey house in Kennington to be cleaned, and for his clothes to be laundered and ironed.

In 2005-2006 Hall claimed £5,194 towards his cleaning bills. This fell to £4,346 in 2006-2007 before rising to £5,408 last year.

Each month, the MP claimed between £100 and £200 on "cleaning," and a further £110 a month on dry cleaning, laundry, and ironing. On top of this he submitted monthly claims for up to £250 for what he referred to as "household sundries."

Hall did not submit any proof of this regular expenditure because at that time only claims above £250, other than for food, had to be backed by an invoice or receipt. However, such a high and regular claim for household sundries did raise questions in the parliamentary fees office.

In July 2005 a validation officer at the Commons' department of finance and administration wrote to Hall, stating: "I have noticed that you regularly claim an amount of £250 for household sundries.

"I should be grateful if when making future claims, you will be more specific about the items being purchased or alternatively provide a breakdown of the expenditure."

Two weeks later Hall replied: "You will recall a phone call conversation on Wednesday, February 2, 2005 in which you advised me of my entitlements to claim up to £250 for household sundries without the need to provide receipts.

"During that conversation you did not tell me I needed to provide a list of items purchased or a breakdown of expenditure."

The MP did, however, subsequently submit a list of the cleaning products he said he purchased every month. These were: "Cleaning cloths/sponges; kitchen towels; toilet tissue; floor/kitchen/oven/window cleaning fluids; bathroom cleaners/disinfectant/bleach; Limelite solution; laundry products; stain removers; air fresheners; polish; binbags; and vermin and pest sprays."

Hall sat on the 18-strong committee of MPs that helped to draft legislation in 2007 that would have prevented details of parliamentarians' expenses and allowances being disclosed to the public.