“More than half of MPs want to be able to spend more on their taxpayer-funded credit cards, with scores demanding the right to use them to pay for food and drinks.
MPs can currently spend a maximum of £1,000 on a single transaction and a total of £4,000 each month on the credit card.
However, when question by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, as many as 51 per cent of MPs said they wanted looser rules on use of direct payment and charge cards.
Ipsa issues MPs with the cards to pay for a variety of items such as travel, accommodation and stationery.
The politicians then have to prove the spending was allowed within the month, or they build up debts to the watchdog.
The sums are recouped by suspending the cards and not paying out valid expenses claims, or in installments from the MP’s salary.
MPs have said they believe food and drink should to be reintroduced as an allowance on the card and that they should be allowed to use the cards when travelling on public transport in London.
It comes after more than a dozen MPs had their Commons credit cards blocked last month after running up expenses debts of up to £27,000.
Five SNP politicians – including Westminster leader Angus Robertson and his deputy Stewart Hosie – were among those subject to action by the watchdog.
The fresh calls were made in response to a 2015 survey of politicians and their staff by the expenses watchdog, which found that 34 per cent of MPs chose not to submit a claim because they were “concerned about the claim being published”.
Overall, Ipsa received 312 responses, of which 44 were MPs, 113 were MP proxies – nominated to act on behalf of an MP – and 155 members of staff.
The report states: “There are some clear signs that MPs, their proxies, and their staff think that there have been many improvements in the support and services that we offer, but, of course, there remains more for us to do.”
East Devon Watch 