MPs attack expenses watchdog over its own 'secretive' spending

 
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is suspected by MPs of wasting tens of thousands of pounds in an office move
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MPs today accused the body that checks expenses of being over-secretive about its own spending on new offices in the heart of Westminster.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is suspected by MPs of wasting tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers money in a £618,000 move to a new headquarters this weekend.

New furniture is being bought for its 50-plus staff — even though the organisation’s existing chairs and desks are less than four years old.

In a convoluted arrangement that has increased the cost to taxpayers, Ipsa is moving out of its HQ at Portland House, Victoria, a full year before the lease expires, in order to settle into its new home before the general election.

But that means it will end up renting two premises at the same time, and sub-letting one temporarily at a lower rent than it is paying for the building. Moreover, the new HQ at 30 Millbank is too big for the normal complement of Ipsa staff — which means part will be sub-let when temporary staff leave after the election. Ipsa said the new premises were cheaper per square foot but the rent will be higher because of the extra space.

Ipsa, set up in 2010 following the expenses scandal, denied wasting money but refused to disclose the rent, citing commercial confidentiality.

Its stance infuriated MPs who say they have to account for every penny of their own office costs.

Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell said: “So the organisation which requires MPs to give in great detail what operating costs they incur in terms of office rents and stationery is not required to tell the public how much taxpayers money it is paying to rent expensive London offices?

“Why do they need offices in central London? Their work could be done much more cheaply elsewhere.” An Ipsa spokesman said: “The move is unavoidable and the deal we’ve negotiated is very good. We are moving to an office £100,000 cheaper than the one we moved into four years ago.”

The overall budget for moving was £618,000 but some £450,000 would be saved by letting the current office.He said Ipsa published full accounts annually, which were scrutinised by the Treasury and MPs, and had cut costs by £1 million “over four years”.

Moving at the same time as a general election, when hundreds of MPs will leave and join the Commons, would have risked chaos, he added.

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