26 MSPs employ their own relatives on staff

Published on Thursday 19 November 2009 21:55

ONE in five MSPs continues to employ members of their own family as staff – despite public outrage over the expenses scandal at Westminster.

New figures have revealed that a total of 26 MSPs have relatives on their payroll – they are typically employed as researchers or personal assistants. Their salaries are kept secret by the parliamentary authorities, but MSPs are allowed to pay a total of 58,700 in wages to staff and have recommended pay bands. However, there is nothing to stop them paying one person the whole pot.

The details have led to calls for the Scottish Parliament to ban the practice, after a Westminster review recommended the policy should be ended to help restore public confidence in the political system.

A review of the Welsh Assembly's expenses has recommended no new family members should be employed, although existing ones can continue.

But MSPs have resisted calls for a similar ban to be implemented in Holyrood, despite making favourable comparisons between themselves and MPs during the recent scandal.

The calls for change came after it emerged MSPs' expenses for 2008-9 had increased by 8.7 per cent over the previous year, to almost 11 million.

The increase of 876,587 was largely the result of an additional 500,000 being paid out on staff salaries.

The report revealed large disparities in MSPs' expenses claims. Tory MSP John Lamont claimed nearly 27,000 for stationery. This compared with a 147 bill submitted by his Tory colleague Liz Smith. The average stationery claim was 3,697.

Mr Lamont, who represents Berwickshire and Roxburgh, was accused of using his expenses to bolster his campaign to become the local MP.

He said: "These figures relate to the running of my constituency office in Hawick, which is incredibly busy with constituents asking for help with a variety of issues and problems. Whilst we use e-mail as much as we can, many of my constituents do not have access to e-mails, so we need to post letters."

But neighbouring Liberal Democrat MSP Jeremy Purvis, who claimed just under 11,000 on stationery, said: "This is no excuse. We have very similar constituencies and yet he has claimed more than twice as much as me.

"It is not about working harder, it is about Mr Lamont running for Westminster."

It was pointed out, too, that the South of Scotland Liberal Democrat MSP Jim Hume had claimed more than 20,000 for stationery.

But a spokeswoman for his party said: "Jim Hume covers the South of Scotland region, which includes not only John Lamont's area but eight other constituencies."

A Scottish Parliament spokesman pointed out that new rules meant MSPs had been able to claim only 5,500 a year for stationery since April .

The report revealed that there had been a 41 per cent rise in money paid out to opposition party leaders to support them in their roles.

But while Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie claimed only 8.63, Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray received 4,433.25.

Mr Gray's claims included 3,450 paid to Silverfish Productions, which trained him for television interviews, showing him how to present himself and answer difficult questions.

A spokesman for Mr Gray said: "It is part of his duties and he often has to appear on television."

However, a Labour insider described it as "a complete waste of money" and said Mr Gray would have been better having a session with his own press office, which includes three former journalists.

There were also questions over First Minister Alex Salmond's claims.

He used his allowances to pay rent totalling 6,499.92 to his local SNP regional association. The First Minister rents the front of a building owned by the party in Inverurie, which he uses as his Gordon constituency office.

In 2008-9, Mr Salmond paid a monthly rent of 541.66 for the use of the office. He has another office in his Westminster Banff and Buchan constituency that is paid for under the House of Commons allowances system.

Last night, the First Minister's spokesman said: "It's totally within the rules. It is totally standard. It is done by many MSPs across many parties."

There were questions over the number of taxi journeys taken by MSPs and whether many of them were necessary.

In 2008-9, a total of 36,695 – an increase of 3,000 on the previous year – was claimed back for taxi journeys, which included some very short distances, despite MSPs regularly raising concerns about climate change.

SNP chief whip Brian Adam claimed 2.70 for a taxi trip from Edinburgh's Waverley station to St Andrews House, the Scottish Government headquarters, even though it is less than five minutes' walk.

But it was the issue of family members being employed that was highest on the agenda, partly because their salaries are kept hidden by the parliamentary authorities.

Among those who employ family members is Holyrood's newest MSP, Anne McLaughlin, who was sworn into office in February this year. She has employed her sister Janet Conor and niece Christie McLaughlin.

Last night, the Glasgow SNP MSP insisted her niece had been a short-term appointment after another member of staff left. She said she had received the minimum wage and would finish her job next week.

Part of the reason for the general increase in staff salaries was down to a recent review of MSPs' expenses by Sir Alan Langlands, who said staff were underpaid.

MSPs have pointed out that a new review by Sir Neil McIntosh will consider whether family members should be employed.

There have been calls within Holyrood for the practice to be banned, although fears have been raised that "spouse flipping" – MSPs' wives or husbands working for other members – may be used to get round any new rules.

Green MSP Patrick Harvie said: "An outright ban on the practice would be hard to enforce, especially given the prospect of 'spouse-flipping', but it is hardly something which builds public confidence in parliament, and I would urge my colleagues in other parties to rely on the recruitment pages of the newspapers."

Mark Wallace, of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said the practice amounted to state sponsored nepotism. "It is completely unacceptable in this day and age," he said. "Nobody in the real world can walk into a job and simply start employing their family members."

The issue of family members being employed blew up at Westminster after Tory MP Derek Conway was suspended when it emerged he paid his two sons 80,000 as researchers even though there was no evidence of them doing any work. He also employed his wife as a secretary for 40,000. Prior to that, there had been questions about Iain Duncan Smith employing his wife in the run-up to him resigning as Tory party leader.

Sir Christopher Kelly, who led the Westminster review, said there was no evidence of abuse among current family members being employed but recommended the practice be ended to help restore public confidence.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT AS FOUR MSPs CLAIM OVER 1,000 EACH FOR MEALS

QUESTIONS have been asked about why MSPs can dine out at the taxpayers' expense after it emerged four claimed more than 1,000 each for food.

Almost 19,000 in total was claimed by MSPs on food and drink. Some was for coffee, tea and biscuits and meals for staff, but the majority was used to feed themselves.

The ones who dined out most at the taxpayers' expense were Tories Bill Aitken (1,192.23) and Ted Brocklebank, (1,656.68), SNP business minister Jim Mather (1,411.43) and Labour North East list MSP Marlyn Glen (1,254.22).

Mr Brocklebank's claim included 49 evening meals for himself. Mr Aitken spent 93.50 for one meal.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: "Both cases were for overnight sustenance, as allowed when staying overnight on parliamentary business."

Details of what MSPs ate and drank are no longer available, but the Taxpayers' Alliance condemned the "misuse" of funds. "People in normal jobs are not able to claim this sort of luxury," said spokesman Mark Wallace. "People eat as a part of their normal life; it is what their salaries are supposed to cover."

BIG SPENDERS AND ECONOMISERS

THE top ten most costly MSPs in terms of expenses and allowances:

1. Tavish Scott (Lib Dem) Shetland 57,974.18

2. Jamie Stone (Lib Dem) Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross 50,449.35

3. Mike Rumbles (Lib Dem) W Aberdeenshire & Kincardine 47,186.10

4. Liam McArthur (Lib Dem) Orkney 46,845.5

5. Nicol Stephen (Lib Dem) Aberdeen 46,481.21

6. Alasdair Allan (SNP) Western Isles 45,697.17

7. Jeremy Purvis (Lib Dem) Tweeddale Ettrick & Lauderdale 45,281.68

8. Charlie Gordon (Lab) Glasgow Cathcart 43,928.17

9. John Lamont (Con) Roxburgh & Berwickshire 43,860.43

10. Jamie McGrigor (Con) Highlands & Islands 43,593.30

The ten who claimed least, excluding Ms McLaughlin:

1. Margo MacDonald (Ind) Lothians 2,354.37

2. Lord Foulkes (Lab) Lothians 3,656.31

3. Robin Harper (Greens) Lothians 5,200.31

4. Ian McKee (SNP) Lothians 12,134.44

5. Fiona Hyslop (SNP) Lothians 13,761.86

6. John Wilson (SNP) Central Scotland14,179.31

7. Shirley-Anne Somerville (SNP) Lothian 14,476.48

8. John Park (Lab) Mid Scotland & Fife 17,011.05

9. Malcolm Chisholm (Lab) Edinburgh N & Leith 17,186.73

10. Christina McKelvie (SNP) Central Scotland 17,502.10

• The full list of 129 MSPs and what they paid