Salmond: Replicate Holyrood's expenses

Published on Sunday 10 May 2009 23:15

ALEX Salmond tried to deflect attention from his huge publicly funded food bills last night by calling for Holyrood-style reforms at Westminster.

The First Minister, the MP for Banff and Buchan, also called on Westminster to release expense details quarterly, in the same way as the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Salmond's own expenses came under scrutiny after it was revealed that he claimed 800 for food during a period when the Westminster parliament was not sitting.

In the 2007/08 financial year, he voted on only six days in the Commons but claimed 1,751.50 for food.

But yesterday he pointed out that for three out of four years, he had claimed below the maximum level of the additional cost allowance.

Mr Salmond said he furnished a rented flat for 2,000 with a "job lot of second-hand furniture – which must be a record low figure for the House of Commons".

A mini bar bill for 9 had also been docked because it had not specified that the drinks were not alcoholic.

Mr Salmond said he paid the bill anyway, although the items were soft drinks.

Mr Salmond placed his parliamentary expenses for the financial year 2007-08 on the SNP Westminster website and said he will do so again with his expenses for 2008-09 as soon as they are available.

Meanwhile, John Reid, once famed for his credentials as a tough minister, claimed 199 for a pouffe and nearly 30 for a glittery toilet seat. The Airdrie and Shotts MP also spent 486.50 at Marks & Spencer last August.

It also emerged that David Mundell, the shadow Scottish Secretary, claimed for a Remembrance Day wreath, along with his colleague, the Tory MP James Gray.

Mr Mundell was unapologetic, however. "I now do four Remembrance Sunday wreaths for which I pay 30 each," he said. "I'm a very, very strong supporter of the armed services. One thing I am not is some kind of cheapskate – I'm a very strong supporter of the Royal British Legion and a reasonable donor," he told a Sunday newspaper.