By KUNA,
(With UK-MPS-EXPENSES) LONDON : British Home Secretary Mrs Jacqui Smith Tuesday defended her use of MPs’ allowances as “fair and reasonable”.
She told BBC radio she had been criticised for listing the house she shares with her sister in London as her main residence, while claiming second home expenses for her family house, in Redditch, central England.
She said it was the “nature of the job” that MPs had to furnish and run two properties.
But the Home Secretary added she felt “sorry” and “angry” that she had claimed expenses for adult films watched by her husband and parliamentary aide.
The growing number of revelations about MPs’ expenses has led to calls for the rules to be tightened, commentators said.
Smith has contested newspaper claims that she billed taxpayers 40 pounds for a barbecue in her second home.
She has apologised for “mistakenly” claiming 10 pounds for the adult films her husband watched, and is being investigated after claiming at least 116,000 pounds for her constituency house.
Smith had designated her sister’s London home, where she rents a room, as her “main” home.
She told the BBC “When I became an MP, my husband and I had to make a decision knowing I would spend more time in London.” The Home Secretary added that she and her sister shared the costs of running the London home.
Smith also said:”What I claim is what I think are fair and reasonable expenses for that fact I have to live in two houses… it’s the nature of the job of being an MP that they have to live in two houses”.
It has also emerged that Transport Secretary Geoffrey Hoon and Chancellor of the Exchequer (Finance Secretary Alistair Darling claimed for second homes and rented out their London apartments while living in taxpayer-funded flats.
Both have said their claims were within the rules and openly declared.
The second homes allowance is meant to cover the costs of MPs staying away from home on parliamentary business and can be used towards mortgage interest and rent payments, hotel bills, as well as furniture, utility bills and upkeep costs, among other things, the commentators added. (end) he.bz.
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