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MPs were set for a record £109million in expenses in the current year before being forced to curb claims.
Commons bosses had budgeted to pay out the sum for allowances equating to nearly £170,000 per MP.
However, the bill to the taxpayer is now expected to be significantly lower after the expenses scandal and agreed reforms to quell public outrage.
Some MPs facing fury from their constituents for putting in unjustifiable bills have vowed not to claim a penny more for second homes. Members claimed £93million in 2007/08, an average of just over £144,000 each. Commons chiefs had estimated the bill could hit £109.3million, including £7.4million for travel, in 2009/10 which would be a rise of just over £16million, or 17 per cent, in two years.
The funds are used for office costs, staff, second homes, travel, stationery, computers and other items.
Bromsgrove Conservative MP Julie Kirkbride faced new questions today after the Daily Telegraph reported that her brother, who lived rent-free at her taxpayer-funded second home, bought computer equipment worth £1,000 using public funds.
Her husband Andrew MacKay has already been forced to announce he will stand down as MP for Bracknell over his claims for a taxpayer-funded property after it emerged he did not have a proper second home.
Tory MP couple Sir Nicholas and Ann Winterton have become the latest veteran Conservatives to announce they will step down at the next election.
They were found last year to have broken Commons rules by using tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money to rent a London flat which they had put into a family trust after paying off the mortgage.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Alistair Darling is among several ministers facing questions over using public funds to pay for accountants.
Reader views (3)
Surely the Winterton's have to pay back the thousands of pounds they stole from us?
Simply stepping down at the next election is not good enough. They need to pay back the money and face a police investigation for the crimes they have committed.
Does a post office clerk simply step down if they stole £80k from the till?
- Dave, Congleton, Congleton, Cheshire, 30/05/2009 11:00
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I am sure the MP's think the taxpayers are fools, mugs.
They know what side their bread is buttered on thats for sure. Why do we stand for it. Lets do something about it!!!!!!!! Vote for the younger generation.
Just think if all this did not come out in the press, they would still be ripping off the taxpayer to this very day, and happy to line their pockets with the cash the country needs,
Come on all you MP'S out there someone must have had a lady of the night, and claimed for it as stress relief due to your work demand.
YOU SHOULD ALL BE SACKED, EVEN THE ONES WHO ARE CLEAN, BECAUSE YOU KNEW THE OTHERS WERE RIPPING OFF THE NATION.
Pleas how does the members of the Armed Forces think that they are laying down the real possibilty of there life as others have done for 100's of years before then. to think how a person voted in by the people just steels from them and smiles about it.
- Rgj Durch, GERMANY, 26/05/2009 19:31
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ABSOLUTEY ABHORENT DISGRACEFUL THE BRITISH ARE NOTHING BUT SAPS FOR LETTING THIS HAPPEN AND I AM BRITISH I FEEL SUCH A FOOL BEING ROBBED AND THE ONES I VOTED FOR TRIED TO CONCEAL ALL THIS FROM IT IS SO SAD THERE IS NO DEMOCRACY IN BRITAIN AND NEVER HAS BEEN THE CITIZENS GET TREATED WITH DISDAIN ,
- Jim Fennessey, london, 26/05/2009 16:48
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