The Iron Lady heads the list of former prime ministers who have claimed �1.7m for public duties in the past five years
Lady Thatcher has claimed more than half a million pounds from a taxpayer-funded allowance for former British prime ministers, official figures reveal.
Thatcher heads a list of former prime ministers who have claimed �1.7m in the past five years from the public duties cost allowance, set up to cover office and secretarial costs incurred for public duties.
Figures revealed by the Cabinet Office minister, Francis Maude, in response to a written parliamentary question by the Conservative MP Philip Hollobone, show that Thatcher has received �535,000 from the state since 2006, and John Major, who set up the allowance in 1991, has received �490,000. Tony Blair has claimed since 2007 and received �273,000. The figures reveal he received �169,076 in 2008-9, more than his salary in office.
The public duties cost allowance is administered by the Cabinet Office and claims must be supported by documentary evidence. Thatcher, who has suffered ill health which limits her engagements, still attends some public events, including an address by the Pope in the UK. According to figures released last year the maximum allowance claimable doubled from �47,568 in 1997-98 to �100,205 in 2008-9. Defending the allowance's value for money, Maude said: "The public duties cost allowance is kept under review."
Figures released by the Cabinet Office also suggested bonuses for civil servants have risen over the last year. Government departments paid civil servants �140m in bonuses between 2010 and 2011 ? �4m more than in the previous year.
Days after becoming prime minister last year, David Cameron pledged to halt the bonus culture among civil servants. "Last week the Cabinet and I agreed to take a 5% pay cut. Now we need senior civil servants to join us in showing leadership as we reduce the deficit," he said.
The most generous departments were the Ministry of Defence, with �45m in bonuses for its civil servants, and the Department for Work and Pensions, which paid out �40m.
The Cabinet Office said it had cut the number of civil servants eligible for bonuses ? to the top 25% of performers ? and had saved �15m in six months.
Details of procurement card transactions worth more than �500 were also published this week. Ministry of Justice payments include a �1,201.76 bill for Avon, �1,832.42 at Debenhams, �756 for Crossroads Kennels and �2,325 at Melton Meat Products.
The Cabinet Office, which is overseeing the release of data, spent �2,260 at John Lewis following an office refurbishment, while other documents showed civil servants from the Communities department spent �5,000 on a bongo-drumming day and the Department of Health spent �258 on finger puppets. Officials at the Department for Work and Pensions used its charge cards to buy �27,000-worth of translation services over five months.
While Michael Dugher, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, said figures showed staff were out of touch during "a squeeze on families across the country", Maude said they showed the government was determined to become a world leader in transparency.
He said more stringent controls on the use of cards had reduced overall spend from �341m to �296m in the government's first year. "What today's data also shows is how seriously the civil service have taken their role in helping us to drive out waste at the very heart of government and get a grip on expenditure," he said.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/oct/28/margaret-thatcher-expenses-claim
Lake District Ethical and green living Lee Bowyer House prices Social care Clint Eastwood
No comments:
Post a Comment