SCOTLAND’s MPs have claimed a total of almost £1.5 million since last year’s General Election.
The MPs claimed for a range of expenses – from rent and office costs to travel and royal mail postage – totalling £1,429,649 since July 5, 2024, according to The National's analysis of Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority data.
Nearly half of the claims, or £670,919, were for office-related costs, including rent, utilities and equipment.
Even more, or £703,285, was claimed for accommodation-related expenses including hotel stays and rent.
The MP with the highest total of claims was Labour MP for Dunfermline and Dollar Graeme Downie.
Downie’s claims totalled £44,875, the bulk of which went towards rent – £3350 a month for accommodation.
This was on the upper end of MP spend on rent, although Labour MP for Glasgow East John Grady spends the most at £3500.
Downie (above) also opted for pricier office furniture than most, including £1880 for four desks.
The MP who claimed the second most is Labour MP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Chris Murray, who expensed £41,704.
A large portion of this came from one expense – £15,000 for “constituency office renovations”.
This was the highest single expense logged by all MPs since last July, followed by £10,000 claimed by Labour MP Melanie Ward for a “policy and office set up consultant” and £8482 claimed by her colleague Lillian Jones for “internal office reconfiguration/partition works to facilitate functioning working space”.
The third largest claimant is Labour MP for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock Elaine Stewart at £40264.
This was mostly on rent but also £2534 for “mobile telephone - equipment purchase”.
A full list of the top 10 MP claimants is below.
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “It is right that the rules around MPs' expenses are set and administered independently by the Parliamentary watchdog IPSA. All claims have been made in line with IPSA rules."
Some MPs were reimbursed for as little as between 10p and 20p for the printing of banners, including Labour MPs Katrina Murray, Martin Rhodes, Michael Shanks and Kirsteen Sullivan.
Labour MP for Livingston Gregor Poynton, meanwhile, expensed 85p for a marker pen.
Some miscellaneous claims include SNP MP Seamus Logan claiming £63 for 18 copies of “Fishing News”.
Labour MP for Hamilton and Clyde Valley Imogen Walker, meanwhile, paid and claimed £20.98 under “office costs” from what appears to be a baby clothes store in her constituency called Little Angels.
Labour MP John Grady, meanwhile, expensed £134.98 for an office fridge and microwave but then specified in the description: “I have not claimed for the toastie maker.”
While Labour MPs dominate the top of the table, Scottish Tory MPs expensed the most on average at £27529.
This was followed by SNP MPs at an average of £26762.
Labour MPs expensed £24487, aided by MPs such as Zubir Ahmed who expensed the least of all MPs at £3832.
Lib Dem MPs expensed the least on average at £24189.
A full list of all of Scotland’s 57 MPs and how much they have expensed since last July’s General Election can be found below.
