My suggestion for MPs' remuneration in future
Discussion
Rather than have a system that appears almost to have been designed to be abused not move to a system of annually assessed fixed payments?
All MPs should receive a fixed amount per year for office expenses set annually by reference to the cost of renting a small office in the constituency and a fixed amount to pay the salary of a secretary. If you choose to employ your wife, husband or significant other as your secretary, then she or he will have to do the job, otherwise you will have to pay somebody else out of your own pocket.
Any MP within reasonable commuting distance of Westminster should receive no living expenses. All other MPs should receive a fixed monthly amount assessed annually to be equivalent to the rental on a flat within the Division Bell area. One bedroom for MPs with no children or with only adult children. Two bedrooms for MPs with young children. Perhaps three bedrooms for MPs with more than two young children.
Any other expenses, such a "fact-finding trips" to Bora Bora should require advance clearance by whatever new body is setup to clear expenses.
There should be no exceptions under any circumstances.
All MPs should receive a fixed amount per year for office expenses set annually by reference to the cost of renting a small office in the constituency and a fixed amount to pay the salary of a secretary. If you choose to employ your wife, husband or significant other as your secretary, then she or he will have to do the job, otherwise you will have to pay somebody else out of your own pocket.
Any MP within reasonable commuting distance of Westminster should receive no living expenses. All other MPs should receive a fixed monthly amount assessed annually to be equivalent to the rental on a flat within the Division Bell area. One bedroom for MPs with no children or with only adult children. Two bedrooms for MPs with young children. Perhaps three bedrooms for MPs with more than two young children.
Any other expenses, such a "fact-finding trips" to Bora Bora should require advance clearance by whatever new body is setup to clear expenses.
There should be no exceptions under any circumstances.
Zod said:
All MPs should receive a fixed amount per year for office expenses set annually by reference to the cost of renting a small office in the constituency and a fixed amount to pay the salary of a secretary. If you choose to employ your wife, husband or significant other as your secretary, then she or he will have to do the job, otherwise you will have to pay somebody else out of your own pocket.
Sounds good Zod said:
Any MP within reasonable commuting distance of Westminster should receive no living expenses. All other MPs should receive a fixed monthly amount assessed annually to be equivalent to the rental on a flat within the Division Bell area. One bedroom for MPs with no children or with only adult children. Two bedrooms for MPs with young children. Perhaps three bedrooms for MPs with more than two young children.
or how about a daily allowance at the rate for a 5 star hotel, with meals included for each night parliament is in session for all MP's. That way they can keep their constituency homes as their family homes. The whole idea of getting allowances that leave you with an asset is flawed. I'm specifically talking about mortgage payments and renovations / maintenance on said property, that result in an asset that can be sold for profit.
If would be easy to suggest that MPs receive only a subsistence allowance, but you can be sure that in no time at all the MPs would be renting off mates (or even themselves) and pocketing the money anyway, so I don't know what the solution is.
If would be easy to suggest that MPs receive only a subsistence allowance, but you can be sure that in no time at all the MPs would be renting off mates (or even themselves) and pocketing the money anyway, so I don't know what the solution is.
Zod said:
V8mate said:
Way too many flaws and 'unfairnesses' in your suggestion.
Are you an MP?With regard to office costs, you're making some bold assumptions and, in offering up cash from the outset, potentially wasting it. MPs have two offices - one in Westminster and one in their constituency. Some MPs have no secretary/PA, preferring to run their own diary and mail. So, in return for the prudence of some, are you suggesting that they get the money anyway, in spite of not having such an employee (cue troughing allegations) or maybe there's actually a grey area whereby some MPs are more in need of administrative support than others. Indeed, some MPs have several employees.
In their constituencies, some MPs rent offices whilst some simply make use of their local Conservative Club/Labour Club etc for running surgeries. Some have local party volunteers organising things within the constituency; others have paid staff. No consistency. And handing out fixed amounts of cash will either dissuade the prudent or leave them open to accusations of profiteering. Notwithstanding that, there's a big difference in paying for a secretary in London/South East than in the North.
Commuting. What's a reasonable distance? My local MP (one of the lowest spenders in Parliament) lives what some might think to be a reasonable distance from London and is often to be seen at the local station waiting for a train. However, given that Parliament often sits until 10pm+ (even since the reforms), travelling home isn't really an option.
I don't understand why the size of the flat accords with how many children the MP might have. Surely, the purpose of a second home in London is simply to provide overnight accommodation for when travelling back and forth isn't an option? The children would, surely, be at the main home? To minimise costs, my local MP rents a flat in South London with another MP. Sounds much more sensible to me; his family are here in the constituency. If you had a job which required you to work away from home some days each week (for little more than half of the year) would you expect your employer to fund a property of the same size as your family home in your employment location? No. You'd be a hotel or lodgings.
JonRB said:
The whole idea of getting allowances that leave you with an asset is flawed. I'm specifically talking about mortgage payments and renovations / maintenance on said property, that result in an asset that can be sold for profit.
If would be easy to suggest that MPs receive only a subsistence allowance, but you can be sure that in no time at all the MPs would be renting off mates (or even themselves) and pocketing the money anyway, so I don't know what the solution is.
I get an allowace to pay for my main car. The car is mine, and is paid for (partly at least) by my company via this alowance. They also pay me an allowance that covers fuel and other running costs.If would be easy to suggest that MPs receive only a subsistence allowance, but you can be sure that in no time at all the MPs would be renting off mates (or even themselves) and pocketing the money anyway, so I don't know what the solution is.
The car is mine, and i could sell it. They've paid me more than £15000 for this car, despite it only costing me £8000 to buy.
Your rules would stop this, wouldnt it? Do you have a company car allowance?
Tony*T3 said:
JonRB said:
The whole idea of getting allowances that leave you with an asset is flawed. I'm specifically talking about mortgage payments and renovations / maintenance on said property, that result in an asset that can be sold for profit.
If would be easy to suggest that MPs receive only a subsistence allowance, but you can be sure that in no time at all the MPs would be renting off mates (or even themselves) and pocketing the money anyway, so I don't know what the solution is.
I get an allowace to pay for my main car. The car is mine, and is paid for (partly at least) by my company via this alowance. They also pay me an allowance that covers fuel and other running costs.If would be easy to suggest that MPs receive only a subsistence allowance, but you can be sure that in no time at all the MPs would be renting off mates (or even themselves) and pocketing the money anyway, so I don't know what the solution is.
The car is mine, and i could sell it. They've paid me more than £15000 for this car, despite it only costing me £8000 to buy.
Your rules would stop this, wouldnt it? Do you have a company car allowance?
PPPPPP said:
esselte said:
PPPPPP said:
or how about a daily allowance at the rate for a 5 star hotel,
5 star? Really?
But seriously, most employees of blue chip organisations would expect 5 star accomodation whilst away from home.
A complete overhaul needs to be undertaken, starting with the number of MPs. I have absolutly no idea how it is organised in other countries but would be interested in comparing things like staffing, travel, accomodation, postage etc. The salary should be enough to enable anyone to undertake the job, not just the wealthy. I believe that the monitoring and administration of all the expenses should be abandoned, it probably costs as much again to collate and administer and they are to a large degree incapable of keeping track of their personal finances...My building society wrote me a nice letter when I paid off my mortgage asking if I wanted them to keep the deeds safe or would I like to have them...sort of made me realise I had finished paying, seems that this doesn't happen if you are an MP and they fought tooth and nail to resist the idea that should be required to produce receipts...as they are honarable and trustworthy lol I think most are without morals.Pay them a decent amount...why not £200,000 and abandon all expenses since that is probably less than they currently take home, link it as a multiple to say the minimum state pension..?? NO salary review boards No office of expenses No long discussions about dry rot and flipping houses...should leave lots of time for sorting out the s**t that we are in!.
esselte said:
PPPPPP said:
esselte said:
PPPPPP said:
or how about a daily allowance at the rate for a 5 star hotel,
5 star? Really?But seriously, most employees of blue chip organisations would expect 5 star accomodation whilst away from home.
And are you suggesting that senior public sector employees should be treated worse than senior private sector employees?
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