Neil Hudson MP cost the taxpayer around £30,000 in his first financial year in the job, new figures reveal.
Figures from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority show Conservative MP Neil Hudson’s total business costs for the 2019-20 financial year were £29,614.55.
The Penrith and The Border MP’s costs were well below the average for the other 155 new members of parliament elected in December 2019, of £40,869.
Dr Hudson spent £25,246.71 on office running costs in 2019-20, including £20,125.19 on staff wages and absences and £5,121.52 on other office expenditures.
The Penrith and The Border MP spent £2,409.29 of his accommodation budget (of £3,515.57), and a further £1,958.55 on travel and subsistence.
Dr Hudson’s office has been asked to comment on the figures.
The total cost of MPs last year rose by seven per cent to £127.6 million – including £5.58 million on travel and subsistence claims, and at least £718,700 on hotel claims – though 2019-20 does include more MPs as a result of new members following the election.
The IPSA figures also reveal the individual claims made by Dr Hudson in 2019-20.
The most expensive single claim, outside of annual staff pay, was £3,000 for rent.
At the other end of the scale, the smallest one-off expense he claimed was £1 for rail travel.
IPSA said the preparations for a General Election and the pandemic had had a significant impact on their work during the 2019-20 financial year, and on Parliament.
Interim chair Richard Lloyd added: “In March we moved to full working from home for all our staff, and put in place a package of practical support for MPs and their staff to help them continue to serve their constituents during the COVID crisis.
“Every month over 4,000 MPs and staff have their salaries paid and business costs reimbursed, within the rules set independently by IPSA.
“It’s good for confidence in our system that compliance with the rules is very high, at 99.97 per cent.
“Through IPSA, taxpayers can be assured that public money has been spent appropriately by Members of Parliament, and that we have helped them to serve their constituents during the most difficult of times.”
MPs’ costs are usually broken down into dozens of categories, with staff pay almost always the largest expense.
MPs in Cumbria
Neil Hudson, Penrith and the Border, elected in 2019
Total: £29,968.38
- Office costs: £5,036.70
- Staffing £19,357.82 (payroll £18,472.82; pooled staff £885.00
- Accommodation £3,538.89
- Travel £2,034.97
- Least expensive cost: 45p for fuel
Simon Fell, Barrow and Furness, elected in 2019
Total: £36,761.75
- Office costs: £14,028.33
- Staffing: £15,630.96 (Payroll £14,355.96. Bought-in £90)
- Accommodation: £2,945.23
- Travel: £4,157.23: MP £2,865.33; staff £1,291.90
- Least expensive cost: £1.20 for parking in Ulverston
John Stevenson, Carlisle, elected in 2010
Total: £191,072.71
- Office costs: £23,777.97
- Staffing: £139,817.14,. Payroll: £134,275.14; pooled staffing services: £3,142. Bought-in services: £2,400
- Hotel in London: £13,934.00
- Travel: £13,543.60 MP £10,301.70; staff £3,241.90.
- Least expensive cost: 62p for postage
Trudy Harrison, Copeland, elected in 2017
Total: £190,457.48
- Office costs: £13,231.04
- Payroll: £137,584.24
- Accommodation: £28,324.48
- Travel: £11,317.72 Mrs Harrison £6,292.74; staff £4,699.38; dependant £325.60
Tim Farron, Westmorland and Lonsdale, elected 2005
Total: £204,349.61
- Office costs £16,891.47
- Staffing £155,505.36 – payroll £154,005.36; bought-in services £1,500
- Accommodation £20,287.43
- Travel £11,665.35 – MP £8,914.70; staff £2,750.65
- Least expensive cost: £1.50 for postage
Mr Farron also spent £960 for regular articles to be written on his behalf between April and December 2019.
Mark Jenkinson, Workington, elected 2019
Total: £53,900.22
- Office costs: £11,131.50
- Staffing: £25,640.73. Payroll: £17604.35; Bought-in services £1452.58; Training staff £5698.80
- Accommodation: £5,685.00, including hotels in London at £3,150
- Maintenance, redecoration, and repairs: £5,820.
- Travel: £5,622.99; MP £4,654.69; staff £834.60; dependant £133.70
- Least expensive cost: £1.82 postage to House of Commons
Mr Jenkinson also spent £5,622.99 on staff training with the Centre for Leadership Performance.
