MPs pick up snazzy gadgets

By William Green on Jun 24, 09 11:32 AM

A very lovely piece of kit, don't you think? And fortuntately for MPs, they are able to claim it on expenses. Pictured is a mobile phone/PDA. And including a charge kit and memory card, the bill came to £670.82 in June 2007.

A £329 "replacement" electronic personal organiser was claimed in April 2006, along with a £1,400 laptop in March 2007. In June 2006, Mr Clelland claimed £386 for removal and installation of a hands-free car phone. A £211.50 bill was submitted for removal of a car phone bracket and bluetooth in March 2005.

Gateshead MP Sharon Hodgson claimed for a £518.04 Olympus digital camera in December 2007 after buying a £179.89 Sony camera in April 2006.

Jarrow MP Stephen Hepburn claimed for three digital cameras each costing hundreds of pounds within just four years and other costly "equipment".

And read on to see how MPs think it is good to talk.

Jarrow's Stephen Hepburn claimed hundreds of for up to nine telephone lines via his office expenses.

Over four years, Mr Clelland claimed around £10,000 for mobile phone bills - with annual bills topping £2,000.

But Health Secretary Alan Milburn claimed nearly £8,000 for mobile phone calls in just one year.

The Darlington MP has been criticised for his five other private jobs outside Parliament and time spent overseas - most recently to Sierra Leone in Africa with an initiative set up by former Prime Minister Tony Blair.

And a forensic analysis of his office claims has now revealed that Mr Milburn billed taxpayers for £7,707.81 in mobile phone calls in 2007-08.

One bill from the Orange mobile phone network submitted on 25 October 2007 came to £809.55, while another claim for £575.72 was put in the previous month.

Another Orange bill of £495.05 was handed into the Parliamentary authorities in August 2007. And the overall total excludes BT calls.

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July 24, 2009 5:22 AM

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