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MPs' expenses - Burt says politicians must regain public trust
North East Beds MP Alistair Burt does not believe his mixed nuts will be a significant election issue
Alistair Burt has described a national newspaper story about his expenses as "a complete nonsense" compared to revelations about more serious abuses that have been uncovered.
A story published on Tuesday alleged that the North East Beds MP over-claimed payments for his flat in south-east London by a total of 1,000 over five months in 2006.
But Mr Burt said it was a accounting error that he discovered himself and resolved with parliament's fees office several years ago.
He said: "For some months I did indeed submit a claim for rent, which put together the amounts I normally claimed for rent (1,560) and food (200) separately, and totalled 1,760.
"But I noticed the error myself in September 2006, and put it right not only by drawing attention to the fact that I had not claimed for food for five months but I continued not to claim for the rest of the year.
"There was no overpayment and the fees office has never suggested there was. A note from the fees office on my claim of September 21 indicates that what I had said appeared acceptable."
The story also listed other expenses claimed by Mr Burt when he stayed overnight in hotels, from bags of mixed nuts to a single pay-view film.
He said: "I spent 80 nights in hotels in the period covered by the claims, and my costs over and above accommodation and newspapers only cost 2.92p per night.
"I cannot see how these can be deemed 'excessive'.
"I wasn't surprised when I saw the Daily Telegraph beginning to go to some of the funnier items of MPs' spending that my bags of mixed nuts raised some interest.
"I don't think my mixed nuts will turn up as a significant election issue.
"But there is the serious point that people's trust in MPs has been affected by this series of stories.
"What we do in the future to regain that trust will be very important.
"I will be devoting a lot of time and attention to finding out what people in my constituency would like to see to make parliament more transparent and accountable."
BedfordToday links:
MPs' expenses - Nadine claims the story is 'Smeargate payback'
MPs' expenses - rival accuses Nadine of u-turn
MPs' expenses - Burt says politicians must regain public trust
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