The details of expenses claims for the Shropshire and Mid Wales MPs have finally been laid bare for the public.

However, constituents logging on to the Parliament website faced a confusing time as much of the information was blacked out.

• County MP expenses are on the following pages

Close scrutiny of the receipts revealed items as small as a peephole drill bit for £5.50 – claimed by Wrekin Conservative MP Mark Pritchard.

But it was difficult to work out totals claimed by each MP during 2007/08.

However, the documents do reveal a fascinating insight into the hugely complex system in which local parliamentary representatives claim for even the smallest items down to the last penny.

Viewers of the website can look at edited scans of documents submitted in three categories.

The Additional Costs Allowance reimburses MPs for necessary costs incurred when staying overnight away from their main home.

The Incidental Expenses Provision is for costs associated with running an office. And the Communications Allowance provides funds for communications with constituents.

There was a mixed reaction from local MPs today, although some welcomed the new mood of openness.

Daniel Kawczynski, Conservative MP for Shrewsbury, who faced residents over his expenses at a public meeting last month, said he rented a flat in London with Stephen Crabb until last year, when he told the fees office he was giving it up “in order to save taxpayers’ money”.

He is now staying at a Conservative club in the city.

He said this had saved a considerable amount of money on the second homes allowance – reducing it from £22,060 in 2006 to 2007 to £14,556 in 2008 to 2009. He said: “I’ve been extremely careful with what I’ve claimed for.

Many constituents realise that living in London is extremely expensive.

“Over 95 per cent of my costs are related specifically to the rent to my apartment which is hideously expensive in central London,” he added.

“What I’m extremely pleased about is I managed to reduce my expenses massively during the course of 2008-09 because I no longer rent an apartment.

“This figure will reduce further in 2009 to 2010 and there will be a full year effect,” he said.

He added that he was also in discussions with a well-known low budget hotel firm looking to build a hotel in Westminster to see if they would be prepared to introduce a reduced rate for MPs to stay at the site while they are in London.

Ludlow Conservative MP Philip Dunne said today: “I have published my expenses on the parliamentary website and I have made it as accessible as possible to my constituents on my own website.

“I would be happy for people to have a look. I have not made any claims under the second homes allowance.”

Wrekin Tory MP Mark Pritchard today referred the Shropshire Star to comments he made on June 1 about his additional costs allowance.

On that date he said: “Unlike scores of other MPs, I refused to claim back the large deposit and stamp duty for my London flat. This has saved the taxpayer thousands of pounds.

“Rather than buy new furniture and kitchen appliances, I purchased second-hand goods – again, keeping the costs down.

“I have only claimed for the necessities for living in my flat and no luxuries.”

Mr Pritchard said: “Unlike some MPs, since I’ve been an MP I have not claimed the maximum for every year I have been elected.” North Shropshire Conservative MP Owen Paterson said the only way politicians could regain public trust was for all their expenses to be openly available.

He said that he welcomed the decision to publish the expenses for the last four years online. He said: “We need the transparency because there is a lot of public anger over our expenses. People are being made redundant and millions are worried about their futures, so it is understandable the public are absolutely furious about MPs who have abused the system.

“The only way we can slowly regain the public’s trust and respect is by being open and honest about what we are claiming.

“I have no problem at all with the expenses being put online,” he said.

“I would hope my constituents would trawl through them and see that they are all acceptable expenses to allow me to do my job,” he added.

Telford Labour MP, David Wright, said: “I’ve always tried to be reasonable in what I’ve claimed.

“If you represent somewhere like Telford you have to be able to stay in London in the week in order to represent your constituents.”

Montgomeryshire MP Lembit Opik was unavailable for comment today but has already said he will pay back money charged to taxpayers on expenses for a £40 summons. The Liberal Democrat MP, who is the party’s housing spokesman, claimed for the summons over non-payment of council tax.

Mr Opik explained the claim was submitted in May 2006 – not long after his brother Endel’s death.

He said: “It is easy to make mistakes like that in times of personal bereavement. It is easy to take your eyes off the ball.”

The Montgomeryshire MP, who once dated Cheeky Girl Gabriela Irimia, is also said to have claimed £12,655 for renovation work for his second home.

He added: “The answer is perfectly obvious, they should do away with the system, except for travel expenses, and let an independent review body set the salary for MPs.”

By Shropshire Star chief reporter Peter Johnson