News / Politics
Former Lib Dem MP’s expenses debt written off
Former Bristol West MP Stephen Williams has had more than £200 of debt for rejected expenses cleared.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority said it had written off the debts of 26 current and former MPs as it was too costly to pursue them.
Williams, who was Lib Dem minister for communities under the Coalition, made two expenses claims which were turned down – £13.50 for office telephone usage and £196.68 for office overspend in 2013/14.
He told Sky News it was “news to him” that he owed money.
Much of the £2,105.43 written off in total was spent on official credit cards that are automatically paid off by Ipsa before checks on whether they are allowable.
Kingswood MP Chris Skidmore, a Conservative, has also been named and shamed for wrongly claiming £125 for a London hotel and not pying back the debt.
But he told the BBC that Ipsa’s allegations were an “error on the travel offices part”.
Ipsa chief executive Marical 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.”
Main picture cedit: Liberal Democrats
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