I have no problem with my constituents knowing how much it costs for me to run my office and to do my job as an MP.
Following the 2010 General Election, a new body called the Indepdendent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) took over the role of managing and publishing all MP's expenses. You can view the published details on IPSA's website. Further details of my expenses are outilned below.
I made this information publicly available long before MPs were forced to by new Freedom of Information laws.
I own one property in Bassetlaw and no others. This was paid for by salary. I rent accommodation in London. Most of my travel is by train, between Retford and London. I do not rent property or office space from any one with connections to me or my family. Rental charges for my constituency office and my flat are at normal market rates.
Other costs include in London, laundry, food and household utilities, very occasional capital items (eg last year filing boxes) and telephone.
Office costs in Worksop include telephone, alarm systems, insurance plus the usual office costs.
My Worksop office is staffed 5 days a week throughout the year, with a shutdown between Christmas and New Year and between one and two weeks in August. My staff are allowed the day off after bank holidays as recompense for their long hours and this is a contractual right. My office is on occasion also open on Saturdays and less frequently on Sundays.
All my staff are paid the appropriate Parliamentary rates.
My Worksop office is 01909 506 200.
My London office is staffed from Monday to Friday again with the above shutdowns and can be contacted on 0207 219 8345. I make use of the House of Commons library when necessary.
Foreign travel: all registrable foreign travel are recorded on the Register of Members Interests. In addition I have recently carried out visits paid for by government for promoting and advising on the UK’s work against Antisemitism, including very short European trips, three days in Canada and five in the USA with the Senate and Congress.
