[Politics] MPs give themselves an extra £10k

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yxee

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2011
2,521
Manchester
There was nothing about giving MPs an extra £10K per year, just an extra £10K available now, if needed. I have an excellent idea of what MPs and their staff do, and I can also work out the cost of replying to 300 letters (as opposed to 300 letters a week for a year).
The answer was right - the question setting left something to be desired!

Anyway, no point in squabbling further - I'm out now. Cheers! :)

The article did say this money is available until April 2021, implying it is and annual budget extension.
 


Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch
NSC Patron
Oct 27, 2003
21,153
The arse end of Hangleton
Yes I am sure they will use it as needed. Just like they only use their expenses on things that are needed, like duckponds and extra houses and such.

It was a duck HOUSE and they can no longer use it for things like that. They are entitled to money for a second home and rightly so if they don't live within commutable distance.
 




Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,944
The Fatherland
MPs receive on average 300 letters a week; answering all of them by second class post will cost £9,500 - remember they won't be able to use the House mailing facilities. There'll also be courier costs for urgent items.

And there's no guarantee that secretarial staff will have the facilities to work from home (and they certainly won't have the levels of security that's needed).

I thought £10k sounded a bit on the low side - they're obviously assuming things will be back to normal very quickly

This is from the Parliamentary website.
:

“House of Commons stationery and postage paid envelope costs

The House of Commons provides a cash limited sum per year for the provision of postage paid envelopes and House of Commons stationery to all Members; this sum is in addition to any costs that may be reimbursed under the IPSA expenses scheme.”

Posting letters is already covered, and doesn’t cost any more if it’s done at home or in the office as the envelopes are supplied pre-paid; it’s irrelevant where they’re posted from.
 




Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,944
The Fatherland
It was a duck HOUSE and they can no longer use it for things like that. They are entitled to money for a second home and rightly so if they don't live within commutable distance.

What about moats? Are they still allowed to have these cleaned?
 


zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
21,921
Sussex, by the sea
how many times do I have to post 'self serving parasitic *****'

admittedly there probably are a handful who don't take the piss . . .but.
 






Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,944
The Fatherland
You suggested, or at least implied, that the £26k should be able to cover the costs of WFH and that there shouldn't be any extra costs for doing so. The £26k can't cover the extra costs if it's already budgeted for things like rent and other fixed costs. Of course many offices use desktops - they're cheaper.

I’m not suggesting it doesn’t cost more, I appreciate there will be some cost but not almost 40% of the annual office budget?

Seriously, who the hell uses desktops? I’d feel insulted.
 




Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch
NSC Patron
Oct 27, 2003
21,153
The arse end of Hangleton
Seriously, who the hell uses desktops?

90% of the NHS, HMRC, DWP and most government departments. Around 70% of of the CAA. 95% of NATS. Almost all non-mangerial staff in banks, building societies and insurance firms. To name but a few. Most of the employees of these organisation don't carry man bags either.
 












drew

Drew
Oct 3, 2006
23,098
Burgess Hill
I understand that it is a buffer sum to accommodate WFH but I hope that it is fully scrutinised when the final accounts are submitted. Let's be honest, there are plenty of MPs that will already have the means to work from home and I suspect many of their small work force will as well. What will need to be taken into account are any savings made, eg travel to London!

I hate to be in the shoes of any MP that abuses this fund as the press will be on to them in shot.
 


Paulie Gualtieri

Bada Bing
NSC Patron
May 8, 2018
9,419
Earlier I expensed £240 to my employer for:

2nd monitor
Ankle USB C to HDMI adaptor
Decent HDMI cable

They told me to expense it as it would be cheaper than them paying for a courier from London.

Isn’t this the same thing?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 


NooBHA

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2015
8,586
Hands up if working from home you get these costs paid by your employer

I work from home. I do actually claim my work related expenditure annually and that includes travel once per month to the office Birmingham to London, which is my largest expense. My annual costs are circa £1500 per annum.

If Politicians are getting £10k for the 3 month lockdown period then that's a bit excessive. They should be entitled to something but not quite that much.
 








Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,944
The Fatherland
90% of the NHS, HMRC, DWP and most government departments. Around 70% of of the CAA. 95% of NATS. Almost all non-mangerial staff in banks, building societies and insurance firms. To name but a few. Most of the employees of these organisation don't carry man bags either.

There’s a whole world out there I never knew existed.
 


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