Details of MPs' expenses to go public

Last Modified: 22 Jan 2008
By: Katie Razzall

House of Commons authorities have been ordered to release a detailed breakdown of claims made by six MPs.

Detailed breakdowns

More details about MPs expenses will be made public after the Information Commissioner ordered the House of Commons authorities to release a detailed breakdown of claims made by six MPs.

They include Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his predecessor Tony Blair.

More transparency

The ruling by Information Commissioner Richard Thomas is likely to set a precedent for all MPs.

He said that headline figures for claims under a series of headings, including staffing allowances, incidental expenses and stationery, should be broken down for publication.

The decision has been welcomed by campaigners, who want to see greater transparency in the way that MPs spend taxpayers money.