Four deputies forced to pay off driving fines declared for expenses

Amanda Solloway (center) with Transportation Secretary Mark Harper and Margaret Beckett Photo: Jacob King/PA Wire

Four MPs ordered parliamentary oversight body to pay off the driving fines they claimed for expenses.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) sent a letter to four MPs, which also includes one junior minister, ordering them to pay, while while repeating spending rules.

While the reasons for the four MPs being fined are unknown, fine notices can be issued for several offenses such as parking on double red lines, driving in a lane bus, and misusing disabled compartments.

The lawsuit comes after an investigation by The Independent found the MPs mistakenly demanded hundreds of pounds after they were issued driving ticket notices. Security and Net Zero, which back in July 2020 demanded a fixed £80 fine, listing it under 'MP's travel expenses'. A source close to Ms Solloway told The Independent that they were reported in error and were returned.

Two other Conservative MPs — Bim Afolami and Simon Hoare — also suffered numerous traffic fines. for London.

Four suits

The Independent reported that Mr Hoare, MP for Dorset and current chairman of the Northern Ireland Committee, filed suit four times for £80 fines imposed in November 2019 g.

Mr Afolami claimed twice in December 2021 for his spending on an £80 fine.

He told The Telegraph it was the result of «administrative confusion» when his IPSA card was registered for its TfL congestion charge. account and it was used to pay a fine by mistake.

He said: «I would never knowingly pay fines with a card — when I found out this happened, I immediately refunded the £160.»

Dave Dugan, SNP MP for Angus, demanded a fine £160 in January 2022.

All expenses were approved by IPSA at the time, but it has since admitted that it was wrong.

An IPSA spokesman said: “ Under IPSA rules, MPs are not allowed to claim penalties and fines. Paragraph 3.26 of the MPs Pay and Business Expenses Scheme makes it clear that these penalties are non-recoverable.

“MPs from outside London traveling to central London for work may charge an entry fee.< /p> >

«IPSA checks in some cases failed to identify these claims, and some of them were paid. We will contact the deputies and ask them to return the money, if appropriate. We have modified our process to ensure that any future such claims are not paid and will repeat the rules of the scheme to MPs.”

We have contacted Mr. Hoare and Mr. Dugan for comment.