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Robinson defends £30,000 food claim

By David Gordon
Friday, 15 May 2009

Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson with his wife Iris at his desk at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Northern Ireland

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First Minister Peter Robinson today vigorously defended himself and his wife Iris after it was revealed they had claimed more than £30,000 worth of food on expenses over recent years.

The leaked material — reported today by the Daily Telegraph — also includes details of more than £2,000 per month being claimed in mortgage costs for an apartment owned by the couple in London.

The newspaper further states that they each submitted the same £1,223 bill for payment in 2007.

Mr Robinson, DUP leader and Northern Ireland's First Minister, has described this as an “innocent error” which he said was “happily” halted in the Commons Fees Office.

The claim was for six months’ worth of service charges for their Thames-side flat. He has also stated that all of the payments made to him and his wife were “legitimately claimed”.

The expenses details are reported in the ongoing Daily Telegraph series on expenses claimed under the Parliamentary second home allowance.

MPs who share London properties, including husband and wife teams like the Robinsons, are entitled to each claim the full second home allowance.

This is now worth some £24,000 a year per member and can cover such costs as mortgage interest, household utility bills and food.

Today's newspaper report on the Robinsons' expenses includes:

£30,525 of payments for food claimed by the DUP couple between 2004 and 2008. It further states that they often claimed the maximum £400 per month each from Parliament for food. Mr Robinson has stated that the combined total works out at “about £73 per week” over the period. During this period the two Robinsons had jobs at Westminster and the Stormont Assembly.
Between 2004 and 2008 the couple claimed an overall combined total of £159,208 on their London flat through the second home allowance.
Most of the claims were made up of mortgage interest payments, the newspaper states, with their combined total running at £2,172 per month in 2007.
They jointly bought the flat in the Newham area in London's Docklands district in 2001 for £450,000.

There is no suggestion in the Daily Telegraph report that the Robinsons have breached any of the Commons expenses rules.

There has been controversy over the fact that the second home allowance covers such areas as food bills. Critics have also argued that the entitlement to mortgage interest payments means public money has helped MPs to secure property assets in London.

In a statement last night Mr Robinson said: “In respect of the references in the Daily Telegraph, I am satisfied that all the money paid to my wife and I was legitimately claimed.”

He also stated: “The claims were submitted consistent with House of Commons rules and after Fees Office advice. Many people hold the view that the rules for the payment of expenses should be changed. My party colleagues and I want reform, and indeed have voted for change. Such steps are necessary in order to gain public confidence.

“Being one of Northern Ireland's MPs, availing of the allowance for staying in London is a necessity.”

On the food expenses the DUP leader said the paper had bunched totals together “to arrive at a large figure”.

“In reality, this equates to an average of about £73 per week,” he added. “The Fees Office determined that £400 each month to cover food in London is not unreasonable given the cost of buying meals in London. I use this facility when in London for the Parliamentary sessions or for meetings — or negotiations — with ministers when the House is not sitting.”

Mr Robinson’s statement also said: “In relation to the inadvertent submission of a duplicate receipt. The Daily Telegraph rightly identified that the two claim forms were prepared for the signature of my wife and myself by the same person.

“They were signed separately and then sent together, as always, in the one envelope. Anyone in the Fees Office would have been dealing with the claims together and inevitably would have noticed the innocent mistake. It is clear that this one duplicate entry over many years was an innocent error, and happily was spotted.”

Full details of all Northern Ireland MPs' expenses claims are due be made public by the summer through a Freedom of Information disclosure by the Commons. The Belfast Telegraph is publicly pressing them — and Assembly members — to take the initiative and now publish receipt-level breakdowns of all their claims.

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129 Comments

Disgrace!! some people don't even have £73 a week to live on never mind buying food, I am never voting again .

Posted by Georgie | 06.07.09, 10:17 GMT

Is anyone really surprise? They are ony admitting thier "mistake" because they have been caught red handed. Is any of the money being paidback? This has being going on in all political parties at Westminisiter for about 16 years.I hope the voters in N.I see what our serving MP'S really are, a pack of greedy, self-serving, non-moralistic parasites.

Posted by SYD | 21.05.09, 21:42 GMT

I will be voting DUP.
Posted by Roberta

That really doesnt surprise me Roberta because people like you are more than prepared to give these inept politicians a bye ball on whatever they do because they stand on the secterian ticket and people are more interested in tribal politics than real issues and accountability.It makes me sad for this place because of the thousands of backward looking people here who prop up these chancers we call politicians in there 2 and 3 cushy jobs.

Posted by Dismayed | 18.05.09, 09:47 GMT

Roberta,

Try telling that to the Visteon workers and see what reaction you get!

Posted by The Watcher | 16.05.09, 10:32 GMT

Being a politician is not about caring for the community, improving society by making good laws etc., no, it is first and foremost a business to enrich yourself as much as possible

Posted by Jimmy | 16.05.09, 08:46 GMT

Politicians arguing that they have not broken any rules is a lame excuse. MPs are elected to serve the people and politicians like Peter Robinson elected by working class people who on average will earn 20000-30000 if they are lucky to be in employment have to pay their morgage, utility bills, food bills, etc, out of their salaries. So why should MPs who earn well above average salary be subsidised by the tax payer. Whether in London or at home they would be eating so why subsidise?

Posted by Gerard | 15.05.09, 22:48 GMT

In NI people will in future vote for Paisley/robinson/Adams whatever because they are brainwashed and bigoted.

Bigotry is endemic and wil take a century to change.

politicians are in politics for power and money and not for the peop[le. It is the same the world over.

Posted by Shay Higgins | 15.05.09, 22:38 GMT

DUP=DJP (double jobs party)

Sorry but anyman who holds more than one full time job-come on wake up and smell the coffee folks.The first minister has been at this for years!!!

Why is anyone surprised?

Posted by john | 15.05.09, 21:55 GMT

Peter & Iris Robinson have taken £571,000 in salary & expenses in just ONE year because of their dual MP & MLA jobs.
How on earth have they got the brass necks to claim £400 per month EACH for food when they are in receipt of such huge incomes.

Posted by S Coates | 15.05.09, 21:47 GMT

"Eating out in London is very expensive..." Peter R
Awh! Poor souls! Maybe they should eat at home more often, after all London has things called shops and just like back home some of them sell food!!!
It's not your words but your deeds by which you'll be judged ... and you've been found sadly wanting! You two are just a greedy DISGRACE.

Advice to all - be generous - give Iris and Peter the chance to sample the real life their constituents have to live - do NOT vote DUP.

Posted by redhugh | 15.05.09, 20:18 GMT

Peter Robinson is obviously too busy submitting expenses claims, to sort out the Civil Service Equal pay issue which he promised 1 year ago.

I will not be voting DUP again due to above, nor will any of my family.

Posted by Brian | 15.05.09, 20:08 GMT

Most Northern Ireland MPs also serve as MLAs
If this is what they are claiming as MPs - what are they claiming as MLAs?
Are they claiming the expenses from both bodies for the same constituency office?
Are they claiming travel allowances for the same journeys?
How can they run up such high Westminster claims when they seem to be in Northern Ireland most of the time?
Are we going to have access to the Stormont claims or can the Belfast Telegraph do a "Daily Telegraph"?

Posted by SK Jamison | 15.05.09, 19:51 GMT

Seems we've all been well and truely DUPed!

Posted by Mr.P | 15.05.09, 19:36 GMT

They are literally eating our taxes!!!
They should repay the money without delay - they can certainly afford it!
We the taxpayers are funding their lifestyle, and can't afford luxuries ourselves. Wake up MPs and MLAs - remember the real world!! This is infuriating. Pack of chancers.

Posted by Scunderedtaxpayer | 15.05.09, 19:20 GMT

I have always been a big fan of Peter Robinson through the years when he was battling hard against the IRA. But this looks very wrong indeed. Nobody has explained why MP's need to claim for food in London. Surely they would eat if they were in London or Belfast, so why should the taxpayer pick up the tab ? The Inland Revenue will not let you claim for food saying you have to eat anyway. I fear that the Robinsons have let down many loyal supporters on this issue!

Posted by Alex | 15.05.09, 19:01 GMT

you know with all this fracas going on at the moment i have to say a big thankyou to gordon brown and all those who represent us plebs in the house off commons ' for running our country' aye into the ground, what gets me is there is a system in place for expenses,fair enough but what happens to all good things?it gets abused,money for your shopping now! the list is endless, too busy feathering your own nests, hmmm, we shall see when its voting time,your public awaits you in anticapation

Posted by alicat | 15.05.09, 18:49 GMT

“about £73 per week” is that for a working week or every week, even when they were on holiday?

Posted by Roger Lomas | 15.05.09, 18:47 GMT

It's an absolute disgrace. These politicians are greedy and self serving! I'm very reluctant to vote in the next election.It is not good enough to say they havn't broken any rules. What they have done is morally wrong.

Posted by jennifer slane | 15.05.09, 18:46 GMT

Bill,

so everyone should get the same? Are you a spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Communist Party?

People need to get real. These people work hard for the public - 16 hours a day, under death threat and intense pressure. They then get paid less than many priavte sector emplyees, GPs, BBC radio presenters, school principals.

The system is wrong, but come on - who out there doesn't push the system now and again.

Alot of these comments are fuelled by jealousy.

I will be voting DUP.

Posted by Roberta | 15.05.09, 18:42 GMT

Mr and Mrs Robinson and other elected representatives are happy to send the Royal Irish and other regiments to Afganistan and Iraq ill equipped and having to share bullet proof vests with tragic consequences while they milk the system dry with their sheer greed.

This is the taxpayers money - shows you what they think of us.

Posted by barry | 15.05.09, 18:33 GMT