[daniel_williams]

Parliamentary Expenses Bill, MRLP

Parliamentary Expenses Bill

Typical parliamentary expenses for an MP are in the region of £130,000 per year. A week in the Costa del Sol during peak season including flights and accommodation next year will cost from £221 per person according to travel agent Thomas cook. The total expense of taking a similar holiday each week for year (fifty two weeks) would be £11492. More than ten times less. Allowing for food, transportation and reasonable entertainment expenses this is still a huge saving.

BE IT ENACTED by The Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, in accordance with the provisions of the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

1) All elected MPs will spend their term in office on vacation at the taxpayers expense.

-This will prove to be cheaper than paying their parliamentary expenses and will prove to be far more beneficial to the country than having them sit around in a palace all day arguing then making ridiculous proclamations.

2) MPs will be able to take their seats with them to use as makeshift deckchairs.

[Magnum Opus]

edit: ok, seriously. Will MPs have to spend their term in Costa del Sol? (/me hates hot places) or can it be anywhere within the £130, 000?

[Acaila]

Nono, it doesn't have to be the Costa del Sol.
We've been viewing several suggested locations over the last few months, hence our lack of bills as we tested the suitability of HoC seats for deckchairs on both sand and snow

[paperclip]

Free holiday for me

[Indievertigo]

Do MPs still draw a salary whilst on permanent holiday?

[Magnum Opus]

(Original post by Acaila)
Nono, it doesn't have to be the Costa del Sol.
We've been viewing several suggested locations over the last few months, hence our lack of bills as we tested the suitability of HoC seats for deckchairs on both sand and snow

What locations may these be?
Is the MP allowed to use excess expenditure (say only £20 000 was spent on the flight/accommodation for the year) on essential items of food/drink/clothing etc. in order to increase the maximum efficiency of work output?

[Magnum Opus]

(Original post by Indievertigo)
Do MPs still draw a salary whilst on permanent holiday?

Holiday implies no work, the MP is still expected to carry all constituency duties from their location.

[Grape190190]

D curve will bed moved artificially outward for Costa del Sol, thus increasing price.

EDIT: Ah, seen what Acaila said.

[Acaila]

As we say in the bill, "a similar holiday"

[Indievertigo]

(Original post by arisk01)
Holiday implies no work, the MP is still expected to carry all constituency duties from their location.

Really? Doesn't vacation imply the same thing?

[Acaila]

(Original post by arisk01)
What locations may these be?
Is the MP allowed to use excess expenditure (say only £20 000 was spent on the flight/accommodation for the year) on essential items of food/drink/clothing etc. in order to increase the maximum efficiency of work output?

Food, transport and reasonable expenses are allowed yes.
However, essential items of clothing would include a hawaiian shirt

[Magnum Opus]

(Original post by Indievertigo)
Really? Doesn't vacation imply the same thing?

Depends, vacation can simply mean their offices are vacated, but it does not necessarily mean they are doing no work. Holiday implies they are neither in their offices nor working.

[Indievertigo]

(Original post by Acaila)
As we say in the bill, "a similar holiday"

So one couldn't go on holiday to somewhere with less English chavs?

[Indievertigo]

(Original post by arisk01)
Depends, vacation can simply mean their offices are vacated, but it does not necessarily mean they are doing no work. Holiday implies they are neither in their offices nor working.

In the description it says " similar holiday " So I'm going to take it as a holiday. I most certainly would not vote for it if I had to work whilst abroad, no chance.

[Magnum Opus]

(Original post by Indievertigo)
In the description it says " similar holiday " So I'm going to take it as a holiday. I most certainly would not vote for it if I had to work whilst abroad, no chance.

Holiday is not the proposal, vacation is
Holiday is the correct use of terminology in the context of the research into Thomas Cook. Thomas Cook would simply be used as the medium in which the vacation (from office) is initiated. This is good in two ways, the parliamentary expenses will have a portion of tax which goes towards public services, whilst the money input is good (economically) for businesses dealing with travel & tourism, in the meantime it restricts MP's spending.

How the MP decides to work is up to their own discretion. They can utilise a mobile broadband contract, a satellite internet, or the local internet cafe - for email communication. Blackberrys would be a must for on the go.

As for international relations, this would also be beneficial; the foreign office minister may learn something foreign, whilst the home office minister may recognise the United Kingdom exists.

[poossum]

If the MP still has to do all constituent work, expenses, such as an office, stationary etc will be needed, so it is illogical.

[Magnum Opus]

(Original post by poossum)
If the MP still has to do all constituent work, expenses, such as an office, stationary etc will be needed, so it is illogical.

Are you insinuating that the MP spends £130 000 on "stationery" each year?

[Acaila]

No, no work, as we say it's more use than sitting around in parliament arguing and making silly proclamations

[davireland]

Is this bill really Loony enough?

[Indievertigo]

Got my vote. But do we get salary?

I quite like this bill, because there are no provisions for unreasonable expenses, so I reckon I'd be able to get away with first class flights, bottles of Dom Perignon and chilled Irn Bru exports to wherever I am in the world.