New questions over Salmond food claims

THE row over Alex Salmond's Westminster expenses intensified last night when fresh details emerged about his claims for food in London when he was actually in Scotland.

Scotland on Sunday has established that Salmond spent at least 15 days of September 2005 north of the Border yet managed to claim the maximum Westminster allowance for food of 400 for that month when the Commons was not sitting.

Salmond claimed the 400 under the additional costs allowance which reimburses MPs for expenses incurred when they are away from their main UK residence performing parliamentary duties.

In a radio interview last week, Salmond explained his expenses saying that he had spent time in London over August and September 2005 arranging to rent a flat there and attending a ceremony commemorating the 700th anniversary of the execution of William Wallace.

Salmond also claimed the 400 maximum for August.

But Scotland on Sunday can reveal that he spent at least half of September and at least a quarter of August in Scotland.

That has led to Annabel Goldie, the Conservative leader, writing to Salmond asking him to publish his official diary for the two months.

She said: "The 800 claimed represents the maximum entitlement. What is unclear are the precise details of your residence in London during that recess period. So to remove this shadow of doubt ... will you publish your diary for these two months?"

In September 2005, Salmond made announcements from Edinburgh, spent time campaigning and attended a four-day conference in Aviemore.

In August, he made a speech in Stirlingshire, and spent time in his Banff and Buchan constituency.

In Edinburgh he was at Robin Cook's funeral and attended a launch of the "Save the Regiments" petition at Holyrood before going to London for the Wallace anniversary on August 23.

Salmond said he was in London in both August and September, but added:

"I have never claimed I was in London during all of these two months – any such suggestion is absurd.

"I am delighted to have my expenses judged by the independent audit of all MPs' claims, and make all information available to them, and am entirely confident that the position is rock solid – how many Tory MPs can say that?"