Watchdog rejects accounts of Parliament about the cost claims - the guardian

Costs, the claims of up to £ 13. a sticking point have been 9 m for spending the watchdog. Photo: PA

Government spending watchdog has unsubscribe Parliament refused, accounts for the last year after it could not verify claims of the members of up to £ 13. 9 m expenses.

£ 98. 1 m claimed last year £ 800,000 value of missing revenue, £ 1. 8 m worth are still subject to police investigations and £ 11. 3 m of access were to prove "not enough", the effort was for parliamentary purposes.

But the House of Commons has decided, it is just trying repayments amounting from £ 33,794 - and has more than 17,000 £ were depreciated due of former members.

The National Audit Office ruling exposes the shortcomings of the system, even in the ten months after the revelations about MEPs sunk expenditure in the largest scandal in generations.

Rejection of the body a public accounts is the highest penalty that can make NAO. The qualification of accounts applies only to expenditure incurred by the Parliament to MPs. Morse Amyas who Comptroller and Auditor General, the scope of his opinion on the MPS expenses rules, restricted, while almost £ 70 m budget approve the rest of his.

It is the first test carried out pursuant to a decision by the House to the NAO to the parliamentary audit in full, including to enable consultation whenever. Previously had to accept it at face value every expense claim signed by MEPs. The report also shows that it attempts, share £ 33,794 £ 800,000 for which documents were missing after that to get a refund, it had to either had no evidence that a wrong payment has been made, or no alternative evidence such as e.g. account statements to support the transaction. A spokeswoman for the home, said that members would be named you had been informed.

The fact that £ 1. 8 m the invoice remains official request shows the scale of the police operation behind the scenes. Six members and peers have so far been raised their demands.

John Thurso MP explains the members estimate Committee: "in 2009-10 the House and the NAO needed significantly more documentation than in previous years and at the end of the test the overwhelming majority of these nearby asked." Since then has more evidence from MEPs forthcoming. We recognize there are clearly some areas where the checks and balances was not good enough, but these questions had already been identified.

"The House gave control of the system of the allowance to an independent body, the independent Parliamentary standards authority earlier in this year."

View the original article here