MPs claimed more than £86 million in expenses and allowances last year, according to figures published today.
Details of the expenses claimed by individual MPs show they claimed £86,779,772 between April 2005 and March 2006.
They compare with a figure of £80,844,465 claimed in allowances and expenses in 2004/05.
Labour’s Eric Joyce was the top claiming MP for expenses and allowances last year, according to figures released by the House of Commons.
The MP for Falkirk in Scotland claimed a total of £174,811.
His claim included £44,985 in travel costs and £78,615 in staffing costs.
He also claimed £25,005 for running his office and £21,629 for staying away from his main home.
But of the main party leaders, Conservative leader David Cameron claimed the most.
The MP for Witney, claimed a total of £135,729 in expenses.
That included £83,858 in staffing costs, £21,359 for staying away from his main home, and £19,719 in office running costs.
Tony Blair claimed expenses worth £87,342 in his role as a constituency MP last year.
Official figures revealed by the House of Commons today showed that the Prime Minister’s costs included £8,399 for ‘staying away from main home’.
He also claimed £2,263 towards the running of his constituency office and £75,612 for his non-Downing Street staff.
His travel costs came in at £202, stationary expenses at £179, and postage at £687.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell – MP for North East Fife – clocked up £123,617, of which £73,756 was staffing costs, £19,518 was for office running costs, and £13,449 was for travel.
Leader hopeful Gordon Brown claimed £134,586 in total, including £18,681 for the costs of living away from home.
The Chancellor spent £83,755 on staffing his constituency office and £18,704 on its running.
He also spent £7,608 travelling between London and his Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency in Scotland.
John Prescott was reimbursed for £115,013 of allowances in 2005/6.
He claimed £12,826 towards the cost of living away from his main home and £78,891 on staff.
Travel between London and his Hull East constituency cost £4,612.
This year’s total is higher, in part due to the fact that they include £5,786,160 claimed in winding up allowances by MPs who retired or lost their seats at the last general election.
Allowances and expenses claimed by MPs come on top of their basic salary – currently £59,686, but due to go up to £60,277 on November 1 – and pension which cost a total of £38 million.
Share this with