MSPs record increase in expense claims

MSPs claimed £11.8 million in expenses last year, up 1.6% on the previous year, new figures show.

The total of £11,849,399 in 2010-11 is £186,801 higher than the previous year’s total of almost £11.7 million.

The Scottish Parliament said the expenses claims represent a real-terms reduction because the increase is lower than the rate of inflation.

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Figures cover the financial year to March, just before the last Holyrood election, meaning that many MSPs covered by the latest statistics are no longer at parliament.

Party leaders’ allowance claims fell from £44,651 to £39,829, a difference of £4,822.

Stationery and postage spending dropped by £97 from £471,393 to £471,296.

Claims excluding postage, stationery and leaders’ allowances, came to £11.3 million, up £191,720 from about £11.1 million.

A Scottish Parliament spokesman said: “This year’s total expenditure shows a 1.6% increase on last year’s figures. With RPI standing at 5.3% and CPI at 4.0% over the same period, this is a significant real-terms reduction in expenditure by MSPs when carrying out their parliamentary duties.

“These figures pre-date the two-year pay and expenses freeze for MSPs which came into effect on 1 April 2011.”

A detailed breakdown, available on the Scottish Parliament website, shows salary, pension and national insurance contributions of members’ employees was about £8.8 million, up from £8.4 million in the previous year.

Childcare voucher claims increased from £36,484 to £43,440 while security-related costs rose from £5,073 to £6,012.

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First Minister Alex Salmond claimed £20,195.47 in his role as MSP for Gordon. He spent £3,992.45 on travel costs, including rail, bus and car mileage, and £6,499.92 on office rents.

Former Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott spent £27,954.64.

As MSP for Shetland he has the furthest to travel to Holyrood, meaning a large proportion of his expenses, £11,948.82, was spent on flights and ferries.

The veteran MSP, who has been a member since the first days of Holyrood, was a former minister and led his party for nearly three years.

Mr Scott paid £145 for a book called The Directory of the Scottish Government. Most of the information it contains is available for free on the Scottish Government website, related sites or via the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Glasgow MSP Patrick Harvie, co-convener of Scotland’s smallest elected party, the Greens, spent £20,586.04.

Labour leader Iain Gray spent £18,985.77. The East Lothian MSP claimed £107 apiece for two overnight stays in nearby

Edinburgh and £146.88 for a night in Westminster`s Park Plaza Hotel shortly after the UK General Election.

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Former Conservative leader Annabel Goldie spent £12,116.83. She spent £3,223.19 on newspaper advertising, more than all four other party leaders put together. The West of Scotland MSP also spent £1,833.00 on overnight stays in Edinburgh.

The 10 MSPs who claimed the most in expenses and allowances last year:

1 Alasdair Allan (SNP, Western Isles) £43,555.76

2 Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney) £38,559.70

3 Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) £36,451.58

4 Dave Thomson (SNP, Highlands and Islands) £35,157.51

5 Kenneth Gibson (SNP, Cunninghame North) £34,563.13

6 David Whitton (Labour, Strathkelvin and Bearsden) £34,052.39

7 Lewis Macdonald (Labour, Aberdeen Central) £33,631.05

8 Jamie McGrigor (Conservative, Highlands & Islands) £33,017.33

9 John Lamont (Conservative, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) £32,667.87

10 Mary Scanlon (Conservative, Highlands and Islands) £31,324.42

The 10 MSPs who claimed the least in expenses and allowances last year:

1 Margo MacDonald (Independent, Lothians) £2,908.46

2 Lord Foulkes (Labour, Lothians) £4,159.89

3 Gavin Brown (Conservative, Lothians) £5,447.67

4 Robin Harper (Green, Lothians) £7,887.22

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5 Derek Brownlee (Conservative, South of Scotland) £8,713.26

6 John Wilson (SNP, Central Scotland) £8,753.42

7 Shirley-Anne Sommerville (SNP, Lothians) £8,818.35

8 Bill Wilson (SNP, West of Scotland) £9,250.00

9 Ian McKee (SNP, Lothians) £9,542.85

10 Tom McCabe (Labour, Hamilton South) £10,249.63