Mason publishes expenses details online

27 May 2009

John Mason, the SNP MP for Glasgow East, has published details of his London expenses on his website. The Glasgow East by-election winner has undertaken to provide updated information every three months, in accordance with commitments made by all SNP MPs.

A new ‘Expenses’ section has been added to John Mason’s website. This will allow East End voters to look at a summary of how their local MP uses his Additional Costs Allowance (ACA). Additional information on each individual claim made is also provided.

Mr Mason, the MP for Glasgow East, said:

“It believe it’s important that I am available for, and accountable to, the people of Glasgow East. After all, the public have a right to know how their MP is using his London living allowance.

“I arrived at the House of Commons too late to be included in the allowances figures that have been recently released, but I feel that it is important to be proactive in this area.

“I have been as horrified as anyone by some of the facts that have emerged on MPs’ expenses. It is beyond belief that some MPs have claimed for non-existent mortgages, or for the cleaning of the moat at their mansion.

“When the Scottish Parliament moved to total transparency on allowances, two things happened – the scandals and the embarrassments stopped because information was volunteered and everybody behaved themselves because they knew it was going to be published every three months.

“At Holyrood, there is a working model of how to solve the expenses issue in Scotland at the present moment. Westminster should adopt it.”