Twenty six MPs have been “named and shamed” by parliamentary authorities after failing to pay back debts on their official expenses credit cards.
The 26 MPs had a total of around £2,000 written off by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority after they “failed to respond” to what IPSA said were repeated attempts to contact them.
Three Government ministers, Tobias Ellwood, Edwards Timpson and Caroline Dineage were named by the watchdog.
The sums were too small for IPSA to reasonably consider legal action or salary docking procedures without costing the taxpayer more, the organisation said.
The debts are for items that fall outside expenses guidelines but which were bought on official credit cards – sums MPs must pay back.
The items, totally £2,105.43 in 2014-15, are generally things like hotel stays, travel, and some private office costs.
“As the regulator of the public funds that go to MPs, IPSA ensures that taxpayers’ money is used transparently, and that MPs are appropriately resourced to carry out their parliamentary functions,” Ipsa’s chief executive Marcial Boo said.
“Our regular publications include every single penny claimed by MPs, so that taxpayers and voters can see for themselves how their money is spent and gain assurance that IPSA is scrutinising MPs’ expenditure on their behalf.”
In pictures: Not-so virtuous MPs
The MPs and former MPs named by IPSA are Barry Gardiner, Caroline Dineage, Charles Hendry, Chris Skidmore, Clive Efford, Daniel Poulter, David Mowat, Edward Timpson, Frank Dobson, Frank Roy, Michael Meacher, Paul Farrelly, Peter Bone, Sian James, Stephen Barclay, Stephen McCabe, Stephen Williams, Stewart Jackson, Tim Yeo, Tobias Ellwood, Guy Opperman, Ian Mearns, Joe Benton, Julie Hilling, Khalid Mahmood and Laurence Robertson.
A number of the MPs on the list said they had not been contacted by IPSA and owed nothing.
Upon hearing the news former Bristol Liberal Democrat Stephen Williams tweeted: “News to me. Could be error by IPSA, who are not infallible!”
He later added “They may have allocated something to wrong heading, a very common error. I don’t owe anything.”
Labour MP Michael Meacher also told Sky News he was not aware of the outstanding money he owed.
