MPs can claim up to £3,750 on expenses for flying home to pay tribute to Baroness Thatcher in the Commons
MPs have been told they can claim up to £3,750 if they want to take part in today’s Commons tributes to Baroness Thatcher.
Expenses chiefs emailed all 650 MPs to tell them they can receive the sum to cover the cost of returning from their Easter holidays.
Critics say the debate could have been held next week when Parliament returns from its recess. There is nothing to stop MPs covering the cost of attending today’s session themselves.
Commons Speaker John Bercow
announced Parliament would be recalled to allow MPs to pay tribute to
Baroness Thatcher, who died on Monday aged 87.
Under rules covering emergency recalls, MPs can claim travel expenses to return from anywhere in the world.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) said that, in line with normal rules, MPs were entitled to claim up to £3,750 for their journeys back to Westminster.
The money can be used by an MP to bring back their whole family early from a holiday overseas.
Or they can claim to return to Westminster and then jet back to their holiday resort. Peers are able to claim their £300 daily attendance allowance.
An Ipsa spokesman said that some MPs could well have been out of the country when the recall was announced and that it was ‘reasonable’ that they should be reimbursed for the cost of returning.
‘If Parliament is recalled, MPs can claim the cost of getting to Parliament,’ the spokesman said.
When
Parliament was recalled after the summer riots in August 2011, extra
costs also included £32,228.56 for extra Hansard staff to record the
debates, £5,000 in overtime for Met Police and £6,039 for tour guides.
Ronnie Campbell, MP for Blyth Valley in Northumberland, told BBC Radio 4 he would 'rather be put in the torture chamber' than attend today's debate.
'Why we’re being recalled at all this expense beggars belief. We could have done it next week. All this this afternoon is to heap praise on Margaret Thatcher. We could have done that next week.'
Former Labour minister John Healey said he would boycott the tribute session, and accused David Cameron of hijacking Baroness Thatcher's death for political gain.
Writing for PoliticsHome, he said: ‘Her death could and should have been marked when the Commons returns next week… Parliament is being used today for narrow political gain by the Prime Minister, as a platform for his Party’s ideology not just eulogy.’
Foreign Secretary William Hague defended the cost of the debate, and next Wednesday's funeral.
'It's right Parliament meets and commemorates such a leader of historic proportions in our country's history,' he told BBC Breakfast.
'She changed the course of our history and there have been many comments over the last few days from all corners of the political spectrum.
'When it comes to money, the rebate she negotiated for this country from the EU has brought us so far £75 billion - which is twice the size of our annual defence budget.
'I think that puts money in perspective... so I think we can afford to contribute to a funeral.'
Tory MP Penny Mourdant also defended the cost of recalling Parliament.
She told Sky News: 'The cost stuff that's been running is not really fair. If people are the other side of the world and Parliament has to be recalled, IPSA pay money to get those people back if they need to be there. If people are on a select committee visit or whatever, I don't think they'll be coming back to speak in the debate this afternoon.
'I'm speaking in the debate. I'm not claiming any expenses for turning up and speaking and I really think it gives us the option.'
Expenses chiefs emailed all 650 MPs to tell them they can receive the sum to cover the cost of returning from their Easter holidays.
Critics say the debate could have been held next week when Parliament returns from its recess. There is nothing to stop MPs covering the cost of attending today’s session themselves.
The Union Flag was lowered to half mast over
Portcullis House on Monday to mark the death of the former Conservative
Prime Minister, which will be debated in the Commons today
Under rules covering emergency recalls, MPs can claim travel expenses to return from anywhere in the world.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) said that, in line with normal rules, MPs were entitled to claim up to £3,750 for their journeys back to Westminster.
The money can be used by an MP to bring back their whole family early from a holiday overseas.
Or they can claim to return to Westminster and then jet back to their holiday resort. Peers are able to claim their £300 daily attendance allowance.
An Ipsa spokesman said that some MPs could well have been out of the country when the recall was announced and that it was ‘reasonable’ that they should be reimbursed for the cost of returning.
‘If Parliament is recalled, MPs can claim the cost of getting to Parliament,’ the spokesman said.
Former Labour minister John Healey (left)
accused Mr Cameron of hijacking Parliament's recall for political gain
while Labour MP Ronnie Campbell said he would rather be in a 'torture
chamber' than join the debate
Ronnie Campbell, MP for Blyth Valley in Northumberland, told BBC Radio 4 he would 'rather be put in the torture chamber' than attend today's debate.
'Why we’re being recalled at all this expense beggars belief. We could have done it next week. All this this afternoon is to heap praise on Margaret Thatcher. We could have done that next week.'
Former Labour minister John Healey said he would boycott the tribute session, and accused David Cameron of hijacking Baroness Thatcher's death for political gain.
Writing for PoliticsHome, he said: ‘Her death could and should have been marked when the Commons returns next week… Parliament is being used today for narrow political gain by the Prime Minister, as a platform for his Party’s ideology not just eulogy.’
Foreign Secretary William Hague defended the cost of the debate, and next Wednesday's funeral.
'It's right Parliament meets and commemorates such a leader of historic proportions in our country's history,' he told BBC Breakfast.
'She changed the course of our history and there have been many comments over the last few days from all corners of the political spectrum.
'When it comes to money, the rebate she negotiated for this country from the EU has brought us so far £75 billion - which is twice the size of our annual defence budget.
'I think that puts money in perspective... so I think we can afford to contribute to a funeral.'
Tory MP Penny Mourdant also defended the cost of recalling Parliament.
She told Sky News: 'The cost stuff that's been running is not really fair. If people are the other side of the world and Parliament has to be recalled, IPSA pay money to get those people back if they need to be there. If people are on a select committee visit or whatever, I don't think they'll be coming back to speak in the debate this afternoon.
'I'm speaking in the debate. I'm not claiming any expenses for turning up and speaking and I really think it gives us the option.'