MSPs expense claims to be posted online

• MSPs to produce invoices, vouchers and receipts for every claim online

• Presiding Officer makes move to bolster public confidence after 'taxi-gate'

• Resignation of Tory leader follows former First Minister McLeish and others

Key quote

"I welcome the changes, particularly if they help reassure the public. But we must be careful. While we seek to be open and transparent, we must not infringe data protection" - Richard Baker, Labour MSP

Story in full A MAJOR overhaul of MSPs' expense claims will see every receipt and invoice published on the internet in an attempt to restore the public's battered confidence in the Scottish Parliament.

Aware of the damage that the McLetchie taxis affair has done to the reputation of the parliament and its MSPs, George Reid, Holyrood's presiding officer, signalled his intention to make the system of expenses much more open and accountable.

Members of all main parties welcomed the changes, insisting that the parliament had to adopt a system which was not only accountable but was seen to be accountable.

The changes mean that MSPs will have to produce invoices, vouchers and receipts for every claim.

These will be published on the parliament's website at regular intervals.

The timescale has yet to be worked out but it could be as often as every month.

The only exceptions will be for claims which infringe data protection laws or which endanger the security of bank accounts and other personal details.

Mr Reid said he wanted to move to "full disclosure" at "the earliest practical time".

The revolution in the way expenses are dealt with will mean extra investment by the parliamentary authorities in staff and technology, but Mr Reid believes there is no option if the parliament is to counter the almost continual run of scandals and controversies about MSPs' expenses which have plagued it since its inception.

Mr Reid's announcement followed a meeting of the Scottish parliament's corporate body, which met in the wake of David McLetchie's sudden resignation as Scottish Conservative leader on Monday.

Mr McLetchie quit after being unable to shake off a series of allegations that he had used taxpayers' money to fund taxi journeys for personal or party political business.

Mr McLetchie's resignation followed the scandals over former First Minister Henry McLeish's Westminster office expenses, which led to his downfall, and the former Liberal Democrat MSP Keith Raffan's extraordinary travel claims, some of which the parliament is still trying to get back.

As two clear rivals emerged as potential successors to Mr McLetchie - Annabel Goldie, the Scots Tories' deputy leader, and Murdo Fraser, the party's enterprise spokesman - the parliament's corporate body agreed in principle to introduce Mr Reid's reforms.

This year's expenses will be published as planned in December, with some changes brought in for the 2006-7 financial year and the new system fully in place for 2007-8.

The presiding officer said the current system of annual disclosure of overall figures, not details, did not fit with the demands of the Freedom of Information Act, which had placed massive extra demands on the parliament's staff.

"In consequence, we are portrayed as not practising what we preach," he said.

Mr Reid said the changes would take time and money to implement but would make the system much easier for parliamentarians and the press in the long term.

Miss Goldie, the Tories' interim leader following Mr McLetchie's departure, refused to be drawn on the issue last night, merely commenting: "These are matters which the Conservative group will want to review. It would be inappropriate to comment further."

However, Tavish Scott, the transport minister and a senior Liberal Democrat, said the changes were vital because of the way Freedom of Information had changed the press's access to MSPs' expenses.

"These are sensible suggestions in dealing with the perception of what expenses are used for," he said.

Alasdair Morgan, for the SNP, said: "It makes sense but it's a pity the technology is holding us up from doing it sooner."

Richard Baker, a Labour MSP, said: "I welcome the changes, particularly if they help reassure the public. But we must be careful. While we seek to be open and transparent, we must not infringe data protection."