Anti-sleaze MP slams ministerial homes deal

Published on Saturday 1 March 2008 18:37

AN MP has called for a crackdown on Cabinet Ministers who get grace-and-favour homes in the capital but are still able to claim expenses to keep up their second homes.

Anti-sleaze campaigner Norman Baker said ministers living in such accommodation in London should not also be allowed to claim the 22,110-a-year allowance that reimburses MPs for the cost of running a second home.

Scotland on Sunday has established that Alistair Darling is among those able to benefit from the current system.

The Chancellor has kept his entitlement to the second home allowance for his house in Edinburgh, even though he is living in Downing Street.

The provision of the grace-and-favour flat in Downing Street has also enabled Darling to move out of the south London flat he used to live in and to start renting it out.

In addition to his flat in Downing Street, he also has access to the 21-bedroom country retreat of Dorneywood in Buckinghamshire.

The Chancellor is acting within Parliamentary and Inland Revenue rules.

Baker, a Lib Dem shadow cabinet member, put down a parliamentary motion last week calling for the ban to be implemented alongside a general review of the allowance.

He said: "If a minister is given free accommodation as part of his or her job then they should not be entitled to claim the second home allowance, let alone benefit from renting out their previous accommodation."

A spokeswoman for the Chancellor said that on Number 10 he paid tax on all "associated services" such as heating, furniture and repairs up to 10% of his ministerial salary.

She said: "His main home is in Downing Street. He pays tax on all associated services and any other benefits, and acts in accordance with the rules."