MPS CLAIMED more than £10 million in expenses in the final six months of 2009, it was revealed today.

The spending emerged as the House of Commons published the latest itemised breakdown of how allowances were used.

The material covers accommodation, office, communications and incidental expenses from the second and third quarters of the 2009 to 10 financial year.

Altogether MPs claimed £10,054,521.97 between July and December, according to the database.

The figures indicate that MPs’ spending dropped significantly after the expenses scandal broke last spring. By comparison, the database shows that in the second and third quarters of 2008/9 a total of £11,768,749.14 was claimed.

David Cameron – then Opposition leader – claimed £12,978.88, including £8,205.53 for running his constituency home in Witney. His monthly council tax bill was around £208, and his monthly mortgage interest bill went down from £1,081 to £822.

The then prime minister Gordon Brown ran up a bill of £15,147.84 on rent and running costs for the office supporting his MPs duties. Mr Brown stopped claiming for personal accommodation last July following criticism that he was living rent-free in Downing Street.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg – now Deputy PM – claimed £13,639.35 over the period, with £2,187.94 for personal accommodation, including monthly mortgage interest of about £155 and council tax of £177.

The highest amount claimed by elected representatives from Shropshire and Mid-Wales was £27,910.94 paid to Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard.

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne maintained his record for being the local MP who claimed the least amount, with his total of £9,358.05.

North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson, who is also the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, said: “The only way we are going to get confidence back from the public is to publish this stuff.”

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