Anglesey MP Virgina Crosbie amongst top claimants for utility bill expenses, watchdog figures show

Wales
Conservatives
Energy
Politics
Thursday 18 April 2024 at 2:55pm

Mrs Crosbie said she stopped claiming utility bill expenses at the beginning of the 2021 financial year. Credit: Daily Post Wales

A North Wales MP is among the Members of Parliament (MPs) who claimed the most for their utility bills in the 2020-21 financial year.Conservative MP Virginia Crosbie, who represents Ynys Môn (Anglesey) at Westminster, claimed more than £2,600, figures published by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority show.

She was sixth on the list of top claimants for utility bill expenses.

Mrs Crosbie is allowed to claim the cash as an MP who represents a seat outside London and can claim back an 'accommodation budget', which includes rent and bills.

She repaid the money to IPSA in 2021.If an MP owns the second property they cannot use the budget for mortgage payments or rent, but they are able to claim a proportion of utility costs.

Ms Crosbie said, “It is very sad I must [wear the vest], but the present climate makes it a necessity." Credit: Daily Post Wales

Last week Mrs Crosbie voted against a Labour motion calling on the UK Government to cut the rate of VAT for household energy bills.According to the published figures she claimed a total of £2,634.12 in utilities in 2020-21.

She said: "I was living and working on Anglesey during the lockdown in 2020 with my husband and three children."My home is an old farmhouse. I stopped claiming for utilities at the beginning of the 2021 financial year."

No fewer than 316 MPs put in utilities claims in 2020-2021, with dozens claiming more than the average household's dual fuel tariff of £1,138.

The expenses figures are published every year by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Credit: PA Images

Analysis of data published by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) shows that claims for utilities totalled £262,454 in 2019-20, of which £206,717 was for gas, electricity and other types of fuel.The largest total was claimed by Stuart Anderson, Conservative MP for Wolverhampton South West, at £3,598.The nine other MPs representing North Wales constituencies claimed a total of £5,338.46 between them, an average of £593.16 per claimant.

The two Plaid Cymru MPs - Liz Saville Roberts and Hywel Williams - claimed £1,120.41 and £699.88 respectively.The only Labour MP in North Wales, Alyn & Deeside's Mark Tami, claimed £403.44.Independent MP Rob Roberts (Delyn) claimed £822.05 while long-serving MP David Jones (Clwyd West) claimed £173.36 for utility bills.Tory MPs James Davies (Vale of Clwyd); Robin Millar (Aberconwy); Simon Baynes (Clwyd South) and Sarah Atherton (Wrexham), who were all elected for the first time in the 2019 General Election, claimed £376.49; £595.71, £633.96 and £513.16 respectively.The figures are published every year by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

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