3 Allowances
3.1. The rules set out in the Green Book shall govern
all expenditure on Members' allowances. (22 January 2009)
3.2. The principles set out in this paragraph shall
be the basis for all claims made by Members. When making claims
against parliamentary allowances, Members must adhere to these
principles:
i. Claims should be above reproach and must reflect
actual usage of the resources being claimed.
ii. Claims must only be made for expenditure
that it was necessary for a Member to incur to ensure that he
or she could properly perform his or her parliamentary duties.
iii. Allowances are reimbursed only for the purpose
of a Member carrying out his or her parliamentary duties. Claims
cannot relate to party political activity of any sort, nor must
any claim provide a benefit to a party political organisation.
iv. It is not permissible for a Member to claim
under any parliamentary allowance for anything that the Member
is claiming from any other source.
v. Members must ensure that claims do not give
rise to, or give the appearance of giving rise to, an improper
personal financial benefit to themselves or anyone else.
vi. Members are committed to openness about what
expenditure has been incurred and for what purposes.
vii. Individual Members take personal responsibility
for all expenses incurred, for making claims and for keeping records,
even if the administration of claims is delegated by them to others.
viii. The requirement of ensuring value for money
is central in claiming for accommodation, goods or services—Members
should avoid purchases which could be seen as extravagant or luxurious.
ix. Claims must be supported by documentary evidence,
except where the House has agreed that such evidence is not necessary.
(22 January 2009; MEC, 2 March 2009)
3.3. Expenditure for which reimbursement is claimed
under the provisions of the Green Book should be wholly, exclusively
and necessarily incurred for the performance of a Member's parliamentary
duties, except in the case of Winding-up Expenditure on dissolution[7]
and Personal Additional Accommodation Expenditure;[8]
expenditure claimed under the latter must be necessarily incurred
in staying overnight away from the Member's main home (see paragraph
4.1). (MEC, 2 March 2009)
7 To which section 291 of the Income Tax (Earnings
and Pensions) Act 2003 applies. Back
8
To which section 292 of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions)
Act 2003 applies. Back
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