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Solent travel behind high expenses: MP

By Emma Philo Fri, 14 September 2012 3:29PM

The cost of travelling the Solent is the main reason behind a high level of expenses submitted by the Island's MP.

According to Andrew Turner, the cost of moving office has also contributed to the figures, released by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

They show Mr Turner claimed £50,652.53 in expenses during 2011/12, with other costs including staff wages and office costs increasing that figure to a total of £166,794.

But Andrew Turner has denied being the most expensive MP in the South, saying that others had submitted expenses of a higher value. "We saw that, for instance, someone from Cornwall has more claims than we have. And that's not the only one, it's just one example," Mr Turner commented. 

"I always want to give a good service. We've got the largest constituency in the country in terms of numbers. We're doing it within reasonable amounts. We are £20,000 above a colleague in Winchester, for instance," Mr Turner said, in reference to Conservative MP Steve Brine's expense claim of £142,083.

Mr Turner concluded: "The figures can vary, the figures on this occasion were higher than in some other constituencies. But we made the point that we have to cross the Solent, which other people don't have to do. And we also moved our office during this year which had some additional expenses for that reason as well."

Figures from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority for 2011/12 for Andrew Turner MP:

CONSTITUENCY AND STAFFING COSTS
 
Constituency Office £20,628.49
 
General Admin £1,646.57
 
 
 
Payroll £116,176.78
 
DIRECT PARLIAMENTARY EXPENSES
  
Accommodation £21,793.02
 
 
TOTAL: £166,794.91
 

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