MPs' Expenses - Who Guards the Guards?
The Independent newspaper is the latest to join the fray over MPs' expenses.
The Independent on Sunday reported yesterday that the government appointed chair of IPSA - the new MPs' expenses watchdog - is no stranger himself to running up large and controversial claims. Here's a brief summary of the piece by Brian Brady - the full article can be read online at: http://www.independent.co.uk/
"Taxi! MPs' expenses watchdog took taxpayers for a £16,000 ride"
"Sir Ian Kennedy earned £170,000 a year, but that wasn't enough. He needed a cab to get to and from work.
The man put in charge of policing MPs' expenses took hundreds of door-to-door taxi journeys between home and work when he was boss of a health watchdog – and left taxpayers to pick up the bill.
Sir Ian Kennedy claimed almost £16,000 on private-hire vehicles to transport him around London during less than five years as the £170,000-a-year chairman of the Healthcare Commission (HC), unpublished documents obtained by The Independent on Sunday have revealed.
Itemised accounts obtained by the IoS show Sir Ian also claimed more than £4,000 for train fares and several lunches and dinners, including three with Paul Corrigan, special adviser to former secretary of state for health Alan Milburn, and partner of the former cabinet minister Hilary Armstrong.
Although many of Sir Ian's taxi journeys were to meetings and other official engagements, the vast majority – more than 200 every year – were trips between his home in North London and the commission's HQ in the City. The fares ranged from around £17 for ordinary private-hire cabs, to £35 for "VIP" bookings on account with a premium cab service. The journey would take less than 40 minutes on the Underground – and even now costs only £2.30 with a pre-paid Oyster card.
Sir Ian's salary was calculated to match that of a High Court judge. In 2008-09, the year the commission was wound up, he received at least £170,000.
He said using so many taxis had allowed him to do at least half an hour's extra work every day – including taking more telephone calls. Sir Ian also insisted that he ran up his taxi bill following an "agreement" with the now-defunct commission, and gave up his entitlement to employer's pension contributions as part of the agreement.
But MPs last night condemned the deal and demanded a full explanation from the man who has been charged with establishing a system governing how they spend taxpayers' money.
One former minister said: "I am surprised to hear that any public servant could get his taxi fares paid on such a regular basis, when everyone else has to make do with public transport."
It is not the first time Sir Ian has provoked unrest among backbench MPs since his appointment was announced last November. The revelation that he would be paid a £100,000 salary for a three-day working week sparked loud jeers in the House of Commons."
The Independent on Sunday reported yesterday that the government appointed chair of IPSA - the new MPs' expenses watchdog - is no stranger himself to running up large and controversial claims. Here's a brief summary of the piece by Brian Brady - the full article can be read online at: http://www.independent.co.uk/
"Taxi! MPs' expenses watchdog took taxpayers for a £16,000 ride"
"Sir Ian Kennedy earned £170,000 a year, but that wasn't enough. He needed a cab to get to and from work.
The man put in charge of policing MPs' expenses took hundreds of door-to-door taxi journeys between home and work when he was boss of a health watchdog – and left taxpayers to pick up the bill.
Sir Ian Kennedy claimed almost £16,000 on private-hire vehicles to transport him around London during less than five years as the £170,000-a-year chairman of the Healthcare Commission (HC), unpublished documents obtained by The Independent on Sunday have revealed.
Itemised accounts obtained by the IoS show Sir Ian also claimed more than £4,000 for train fares and several lunches and dinners, including three with Paul Corrigan, special adviser to former secretary of state for health Alan Milburn, and partner of the former cabinet minister Hilary Armstrong.
Although many of Sir Ian's taxi journeys were to meetings and other official engagements, the vast majority – more than 200 every year – were trips between his home in North London and the commission's HQ in the City. The fares ranged from around £17 for ordinary private-hire cabs, to £35 for "VIP" bookings on account with a premium cab service. The journey would take less than 40 minutes on the Underground – and even now costs only £2.30 with a pre-paid Oyster card.
Sir Ian's salary was calculated to match that of a High Court judge. In 2008-09, the year the commission was wound up, he received at least £170,000.
He said using so many taxis had allowed him to do at least half an hour's extra work every day – including taking more telephone calls. Sir Ian also insisted that he ran up his taxi bill following an "agreement" with the now-defunct commission, and gave up his entitlement to employer's pension contributions as part of the agreement.
But MPs last night condemned the deal and demanded a full explanation from the man who has been charged with establishing a system governing how they spend taxpayers' money.
One former minister said: "I am surprised to hear that any public servant could get his taxi fares paid on such a regular basis, when everyone else has to make do with public transport."
It is not the first time Sir Ian has provoked unrest among backbench MPs since his appointment was announced last November. The revelation that he would be paid a £100,000 salary for a three-day working week sparked loud jeers in the House of Commons."
