Rules on expenses to change for AMs
Monday 2nd November 2009, 12:14PM GMT.
Members of the Welsh Assembly will need receipts for all their expenses claims from today.
AMs will also lose the right to buy furniture and fittings for their second homes at the taxpayers’ expense.
The new rules are among recommendations made by the Jones Review into expenses, published after a 10-month inquiry and accepted in full by the Assembly’s authorities in July.
All 108 changes are due to be in place after the next election in 2011.
The first 28 come into force today, scrapping a flat-rate allowance of £30.65 available to AMs when they are away from their main home on business.
All expenses claims will have to be accompanied by “documentary evidence” and an explanation of why they were incurred.
Eligible AMs can still be reimbursed for utility bills, council tax, broadband, insurance and a TV licence for their second homes in Cardiff.
Presiding Officer Lord Elis-Thomas also wants AMs to give up control of their salaries.
He is overseeing legislation that would create an independent board to set AMs’ pay and allowances.
It would also cut a link with wages for MPs. AMs currently earn 82 per cent of an MP’s salary.
Conservative AMs have said they will not support the proposed new salary arrangements, arguing that the shake-up could drain resources.
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‘all 108 changes are due to be in place after the next election in 2011′
Go down to your local SCS or Furniture Village between now and then to view the mass rush to kit out their homes before the changes are effected!
Why so long to implement? It doesn’t take that long to rewrite and put into a place an expense claim policy – we do it every year!
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AMs? Do they just work in the morning then? Come on Shropshire Star – read stuff before you print it!
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for me these scroungers are worse than people on the dole even, it is the ultimate abuse to steal public money by abusing expesne
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