MPs refuse to disclose details of staff pay

By Brian Brady, Whitehall Editor Almost 50 MPs have refused to tell the parliamentary authorities exactly what their office staff do and how much they are paid from public funds, it emerged yesterday. One in 13 MPs have failed to meet their obligation to submit copies of their employees' contracts of employment, which detail their working hours and salary scales. The failure to provide the details means that the House of Commons authorities have no idea whether the MPs are using their £90,000 staffing allowance properly – or if they are paying family members for work they have not done. The Members Estimate Committee, which is charged with policing the use of parliamentary allowances, is now expected to demand that all MPs submit full details of their office spending before the start of the next session, in October. "We are... [read full story]