MP Heal explains claim error
Halesowen & Rowley Regis MP Sylvia Heal has been drawn into the expenses row after it emerged she charged the taxpayer for an £822 accountancy bill.
Leaked receipts revealed the Deputy Speaker and Labour MP claimed the money in 2005/06 – but was refused by Commons officials.
She said: "It was an accountancy bill that I claimed back, but unfortunately it was claimed on the wrong form which is why it was refused.
"The fees office was right to refuse it because of that. It was resubmitted on the correct form, I was reimbursed and I paid the tax on it."
Ms Heal also claimed £20 a month on her mortgage interest payments from her second home allowance for her constituency home.
She said she stopped claiming the payment two-years-ago because the mortgage had been repaid.
But despite the revelations, she will not be voluntarily opening up her expenses before the Commons' release of all MPs' claims in July.
She said: "I am waiting for the Commons to release them – because if any personal details, either to do with my staff or suppliers, are disclosed that should not be in a public domain, I am liable under the Data Protection Act.
"We have had a letter from the clerk, warning us to be cautious about publishing that sort of information."
Tory grandee Bill Cash, MP for Stone in Staffordshire, has also been told by David Cameron that he had "very serious questions to answer."
It has been revealed he claimed £15,000 to pay rent on his daughter Laetitia's London apartment – despite owning his own flat in Pimlico, much closer to Westminster. He denies any wrongdoing.
The revelations came as three more MPs announced they will stand down at the next election – Hagley MP Julie Kirkbride, fellow Tory Christopher Fraser and Labour's Margaret Moran.
