Sunday, November 03, 2013

Turning on the heat

 Tory MP and multi-millionaire  Nadhim Zahawi claimed £5,822 (£4,557 electricity and £1,265) heating oil for the 12 months to March this year, using it to pay his energy bills for his £1 million, 31-acre home in his constituency of Stratford-upon-Avon. He also runs a riding school with his wife and owns a £5 million detached house in London,

International Development Minister Alan Duncan claimed £2,750 for electricity bills and £1,250 in heating oil for his home in Rutland, Leicestershire. He also owns a £1million mews house in Westminster.

While Universities Minister David Willetts, claimed £2,596. He is reputed to be worth  £1.9million. His West London house which is worth £1.3million and his constituency home in Hampshire is worth £300,000. In 2009 it emerged Mr Willetts billed the taxpayer £115 plus VAT for workmen to replace 25 light bulbs at the London property.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller, who has previously been investigated over expenses, claimed £2,011 on electricity bills in the 12-month period on a £970,000 constituency home in ­Basingstoke, which she rents. Last year the office of John Lyon, the Parliamentary Commissioner for ­Standards, launched an inquiry after a complaint that Mrs Miller had claimed more than £90,000 in second home allowances towards the cost of a house where her parents lived.

Ex-Labour Cabinet minister Peter Hain claimed £4,571 on his designated second home in his South Wales constituency.

Dame Margaret Beckett, who has been Labour MP for Derby South since 1983, claimed £3,960 on gas and electricity on her constituency home.

In total, 41 politicians claimed more than £1,000 for power and heat and a further 78 MPs more than £500 in the 12 months up to March this year. The maximum an MP can claim for their second home allowance in a year is £20,100 and this figure includes claims for gas and electricity bills. Costs also include rent, hotel stays, council tax, service charges, phone and internet.

Dave Prentis, whose UNISON union represents 1.3million public service workers, told the Sunday Mirror: “It’s disgraceful that well-paid MPs should make these claims as thousands of families are struggling to pay to turn the oven on to cook dinner. These are the same hypocritical MPs who have failed to get a grip on soaring fuel and energy costs, rising food bills and pay freezes. But in the end it’s a moral decision down to them and their consciences. If 310 MPs did the right thing by choosing not to claim expenses for fuel bills, why did the other 340 think they were entitled to free fuel?”

Clare Welton, of Fuel Poverty Action, said: “Thousands of people will die this winter in cold homes but we know the MPs will be keeping nice and warm in their first and second homes.”

SOYMB says it may well be literally cold-blooded murder.

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