Rundown of what the West Midland MPs claimed for
Steve McCabe (Lab Hall Green)
Allowed us to see his receipts.
In 2008 he was making monthly claims of £331.70 for a mortgage on a London flat. Mr McCabe agreed to re-pay £2,323 in 2006, after he claimed too much for his mortgage between April 2006 and October 2006.
The expenses show a number of claims for furniture of the flat. They include a chair for £61.40 and a carpet for £264.30, in 2004.
In 2005, he claimed £578 to decorate the flat, including £37.42 for paint, rollers, brushes and a paint-tray.
In October 2007 he claimed £110 to have a new external television aerial fitted and in February 2008 he claimed £135.50 for a television licence.
He also claimed £5,500 for a fitted kitchen in October 2007.
Andrew Mitchell (Con Sutton Coldfield).
Gave us a summary of his expenses claims.
Claims Additional Cost Allowance on his home in Sutton Coldfield. In 2008-9 he claimed £11,100.20 for his mortgage interest.
He also claimed back £2,758.50 paid to a property services company for “cleaning, washing and gardening, and some general maintenance”, according to a note he wrote to the fees office. There was a £2,604.75 bill to repair rotten windows, and he claimed £1,720 for general living expenses, including food.
In 2007-8, Mr Mitchell claimed £2,650 for a new boiler, £189 for a new Hoover and £138 for towels
Sion Simon (Lab Erdington)
Allowed us to see his receipts.
Between 2004 and 2007 he claimed for rent on a second home in London. Mr Simon claimed monthly expenses of £1,000 for rent. He did not claim anything for furniture.
Early in 2008 he bought a home in London and claimed £5,400 for stamp duty. The MP currently claims around £300 a month for mortgage interest.
Caroline Spelman (Con Meriden)
Allowed us to see her receipts.
The Shadow Local Government Secretary has already been at the centre of an expenses controversy after an inquiry found she had effectively used her Parliamentary allowances to subsidise her children’s nanny.
However, she is one of few MPs to claim nothing towards rent or mortgage on a home. There is no mortgage on her designated second home, a house in Meriden, although there would be nothing in Commons rules to stop her taking out a mortgage on it and then reclaiming the interest.
Her receipts show that she did claim the £681.50 cost of repairing a stone window at her second home.
Other than this she made very few claims. However, one that sticks out is a 12-month subscription to a satellite navigation service for £102.13, in 2005.
Gisela Stuart (Lab Edgbaston)
Allowed us to see her receipts.
Claims on a mortgage on a second home in London. In 2008 she was claiming £491.77 a month for her mortgage..
Made regular claims for furniture and home improvements, including:
* £599 for a Sony television in June 2005
* £229 for a digital TV box, £99 for an aerial and £137.46 for shelves in July 2005
* £145 for a lamp and £695 for an armchair and console, in February 2006
* £143.98 on a kettle and toaster in July 2006
* £180.45 on kitchen equipment in August 2006
* £272 for shower taps and attachments, and £149.95 for cutlery and kitchen wear, in November 2006.
* £289.90 for shelves and £300 for a carpet in December 2006.
* £180 for a shower head and plumbing in February 2007
* £895 on painting the exterior of her property in July 2007.
* £130 for a radio in December 2007.
* £250 for a bath mixer tap and £225 for curtains in January 2008.
* £222 for curtains in February 2008.
In March 2008 she claimed £1,502 for a new boiler.
Ian Austin (Lab Dudley North)
Although we initially approached only Birmingham and Solihull MPs, Mr Austin contacted us and offered to show us his receipts.
From August 2005 to January 2006 he claimed expenses for rented accommodation in Dudley, at £575 a month. At this time, his main home was in London.
He then bought a flat in London, and claimed expenses of £873 a month to help pay for the mortgage.
It means that Mr Austin has claimed expenses for two different properties over the years - a rented house in Dudley, which he used while his family lived in London, and a flat in London, which he uses now that his family live in Dudley.
However, the London flat is the only property he has claimed expenses on that he owns.
Mr Austin claimed back the stamp duty payable on the flat, a total of £10,073.
He has also claimed for furniture for the flat, including £467 for a new stereo, £1,000 for a TV and DVD player, £799 for a mocha sofa and £499 for a mocha armchair, both from Marks and Spencer.
