MPs can’t be trusted to run their affairs, says watchdog

12 April 2012

The UK's anti-sleaze chief today warned MPs not to scrap their expenses watchdog.

Sir Christopher Kelly defended the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority but urged it to address problems which have surrounded it since taking charge of MPs' claims in May.

The chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life stepped into a growing row over the IPSA, with MPs calling for it to be axed or at least significantly reformed.

In an interview with the Standard, he stressed it would be a "great mistake" to close down the watchdog and hand back the running of the expenses system to Commons authorities.

"Calling for it to be abolished forgets history, frankly," he said. "We should not forget that MPs have shown themselves incapable of running the system themselves without it being abused.

"The notion we should abolish it risks throwing the baby out with the bathwater." MPs have accused the IPSA of running a hugely cumbersome, complex and costly allowance system.

Sir Christopher said: "Sometimes it seems as if they are being punished, whereas the purpose of the expenses system should be to support them in doing their jobs properly. I can understand why they are upset at some of the difficulties encountered.

"The IPSA has clearly got some things wrong. Some have already been corrected and some will presumably be addressed in the consultation starting soon." But he also stressed some MPs' complaints had been "exaggerated".

He said the IPSA was "set up in a hurry in response to a crisis", adding: "It may have forgotten the importance of being proportionate in the way it exercises the necessary control."

Sir Christopher backed IPSA chairman Sir Ian Kennedy's defence of his organisation, stressing it needed to be independent from the Commons. But he added: "It's unfortunate the issue of MPs' expenses is still headlines. They have more important things to do."

Pressure grew on the IPSA this week after David Cameron branded it "anti-family", with many MPs complaining they are having to live in one-bedroom, taxpayer-funded second homes when in London. Downing Street also stopped short of ruling out that the watchdog could be axed.

Millionaire Tory MP Adam Afriyie, who does not claim expenses, has tabled a Private Member's Bill to reform the IPSA. He said: "The Prime Minister has cleared the way for Parliament to take action to reduce the costs and introduce a better scheme if the IPSA fails to do so in the next few weeks."

MPs' criticism of the IPSA was undermined just days ago when the National Audit Office refused to sign off nearly £14 million of expenses claims in Commons accounts for 2009/10.

The IPSA has stressed that it will not "step back" from its duty to protect taxpayers' money.

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