Since my election in June 2001 I have employed both full-time and part-time staff to help manage my workload and to deliver the best service possible to my constituents. Staff are based in my
constituency office and in my office in Westminster.
Whilst there have been regular staff changes and alterations in working hours, most often occurring in the middle of financial years, listed below is a basic guide to how I have spent my staff
costs allowance since 2001. All figures are pro-rata, with many staff working part-time
2001-2002: Three full-time staff members
- Salary scale £10,000-20,000 x 1
- Salary scale £20,000-30,000 x 2
2002-2003: Three full-time staff members
- Salary scale £10,000-20,000 x 1
- Salary scale £20,000-30,000 x 2
2003-2004: Two full-time staff members & one part-time staff member
- Salary scale £10,000-20,000 x 1
- Salary scale £20,000-30,000 x 2
2004-2005: Two full-time staff members & one part-time staff member
- Salary scale £10,000-20,000 x 1
- Salary scale £20,000-30,000 x 2
2005-2006: Four full-time staff members
- Salary scale £10,000-20,000 x 1
- Salary scale £20,000-30,000 x 3
2006-2007: Two full-time staff members and three part-time staff members
- Salary scale £10,000-20,000 x 1
- Salary scale £20,000-30,000 x 3
- Salary scale £30,000-£40,000 x 1
2007-2008: Two full-time staff members and four part-time staff members
- Salary scale £10,000-20,000 x 1
- Salary scale £20,000-30,000 x 4
- Salary scale £30,000-£40,000 x 1
I have employed my wife since 2003, initially on a part-time basis as a caseworker and paid at the lower end of the bottom pay scale. She has continued in this role since this time but in
2005 she took over the management of my office and her salary increased to reflect this and she is now paid a wage in the middle band of the three pay scales. More recently she has also taken
on press and publicity management.
Throughout this time I have also paid expenses/fees to several students and interns usually costing under £1,000 in total and never above £2,000 in total.
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