Renting with their parties: MLAs’ office prices revealed

The extent to which MLAs are channelling taxpayer-funded rental expenses to their parties can today be revealed — thanks to a freedom of information breakthrough by the Belfast Telegraph.

Assembly officials have backed down on releasing the names of landlords of Stormont politicians' constituency offices.

And the newly disclosed information shows that one in six members is renting premises from party-linked organisations.

The practice is most prevalent among Sinn Fein MLAs, including its president Gerry Adams.

It is entirely within the rules for Assembly members to rent from their parties and similar arrangements are also believed to be fairly commonplace among MPs. However, different rules at the House of Commons have raised concerns about an accountability gap at Stormont.

MPs claiming rental expenses for party-owned premises must produce independent rental valuations for the properties. There is currently no such requirement for Assembly members.

In addition, a small number of MLAs have been renting from relatives. This practice was halted at Westminster as far back as 2003.

There is also no Assembly rule on providing independent valuations for premises owned by family members.

Renting office space from parties appears to go against a past proposal by the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB), the London-based organisation that provides advice on politicians' remuneration.

In a report to the Assembly in 2002, it said: "To increase the transparency and accountability of the rental payments we would suggest that Members should be encouraged to lease ‘free-standing’ premises rather than use their homes or party offices."

MLAs currently receive office-running expenses of some £72,000 a year each, with a large proportion going on rental and staffing costs.

A breakdown of landlords receiving money under this allowance has now been released to the Belfast Telegraph by the Assembly. The details were requested under the Freedom of Information Act some six months ago. It was turned down at that stage, but this decision has been successfully challenged by this newspaper through internal review procedures. An Assembly panel re-examined the case, after receiving a detailed submission, and agreed to a full disclosure.

The full table for MLAs is published online today on the Belfast Telegraph website.

It shows that 18 members are involved in publicly-funded rental arrangements with party-linked bodies, 10 of them from Sinn Fein.

Gerry Adams, for example, is renting premises from “Trustees of West Belfast SF”.

According to a freedom of information disclosure in February this year, the rental for this office comes to £10,000 a year.

Similar local party landlord arrangements are in place for Sinn Fein MLAs Mickey Brady, Pat Doherty, Michelle Gildernew, Paul Maskey, Barry McElduff, Claire McGill, John O'Dowd and Sue Ramsey. Colleague Fra McCann is meanwhile listed as renting from Sevastapol Developments, a party-linked company.

A Sinn Fein spokesman said the party had established a network of advice centres well before the Assembly was set up.

"This is a legacy from that. Unlike other parties, Sinn Fein took the financial risk of setting up advice centres right across the north," he added.

The spokesman also said the party had no problem with independent valuations being obtained.

Similar points have been made across the political spectrum.

The need for independent valuations has been repeatedly raised by this newspaper as part of its ‘Open Stormont’ campaign for greater transparency and accountability.

But the reform has yet to be enacted at the Assembly.

East Londonderry UUP MLA David McClarty rents offices in Coleraine and Limavady from two local wings of his party. He said yesterday that in both cases the rent was fixed according to independent valuations.

Likewise, the Alliance Party has stressed that the South Belfast office space a party-linked firm rents to MLA Anna Lo has been subjected to independent valuation.

Other MLAs involved in arrangements with party bodies, according to the Assembly, are: John McAllister (UUP), Thomas Elliott (UUP), Dawn Purvis (PUP), Speaker William Hay (DUP), Adrian McQuillan (DUP) and Jonathan Craig (DUP).

Mr Craig said yesterday that he would have no problem with an independent valuation being carried out. He said he inherited the arrangement, for an office in Dromore, from an outgoing MLA, and the rental had not been increased.

The Assembly disclosure also shows other MLAs renting from a wide range of organisations.

Rental expenses claimed by Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, for instance, are going to a body called Tyrone Cultural Society. It is also the landlord for separate premises rented by party colleague Francie Molloy.

Sinn Fein's Mitchell McLaughlin is listed as renting from the Roddy McCorley Historical Society. The landlord for premises rented in Gulladuff, Co Derry, by Sinn Fein MLA Michelle O'Neill is given as South Derry Cultural and Heritage Society.

Ms O'Neill's office was listed by the Assembly earlier this year as among the most expensive, with an annual sum of £18,000.

By far the largest rental sum was for the Ballymena premises jointly occupied by DUP duo Ian Paisley and Ian Paisley Jnr. It is costing taxpayers some £57,000 a year.

The landlord for the joint Paisley base has been confirmed by the Assembly as the firm Sarcon no 250.

The list in full

Adams, Gerry SINN FEIN Trustees of West Belfast SF 2A Monagh Crescent, Belfast, BT11 8EB

Anderson, Martina SINN FEIN Creggan Ent Ltd R3D Rathmore Business Park, Blighs Lane, Derry, BT48 0LZ

Attwood, Alex SDLP Macelhatton & Co 60 Anderstown Road, Belfast, BT11 9AN

Beggs, Roy UUP McConnell Properties 3 St Brides Street, Carrickfergus, BT38 8AF

Boylan, Cathal SINN FEIN Eugene Quinn 1 Ogle Street, Armagh, BT61 7EN

Bradley, Dominic SDLP Michael Blayney 15 Trevor Hill, Newry, BT34 1DN

Bradley, Mary SDLP Cosworth Prop 68 Raceourse Road, Derry, BT48 8DS

Bradley, P.J SDLP R & C Gordon 2 East Street, Warrenpoint, BT34 3JE

Brady, Micky SINN FEIN Newry Sinn Fein 1 Kilmorey Terrace, Newry, Co. Down, BT35 8DW

Bresland, Allan DUP J.A Hempton 51 Main Street, Newtownstewart, BT78 4AD

Brollie, Francie SINN FEIN O'Kane Bros 81 Main Street, Dungiven, Co. Londonderry, BT47 4llle

Brown, Wallace DUP Thomas & Marion Doran Unit 1, 137-141 Holywood Road, Belfast, BT4 3BE

Buchanan, Thomas SDLP JB Anderson & Company Ltd 7 Dublin Road, Omagh, BT78 1ES

Burns, Thomas SDLP Philip Dennison 17 Main St, Crumlin, BT29 4LN

Burnside, David UUP Phylis Hardy 3a Rashee Road, Antrim, BT39 9HJ

Burnside, David UUP Ulster Scots Trust Balloo 24 Fountain St, Antrim, BT41 4BB

Butler, Paul SINN FEIN JP Properties W2 Colin Centre, Stewartstown Road, Belfast, BT11 9FY

Campbell, Gregory DUP Jackie Chan Units 3& 4 Sindy's Shopping Mall, Catherine St Limavady, BT49 9DB

Clarke, Trevor DUP Jacqueline Elizabeth Coulter 1 Lough Road, Antrim, BT41 4DG

Clarke, Willie SINN FEIN P Fitzpatrick & Sons 64 St Patricks Avenue, Downpatrick, BT30 6DN

Cobain, Fred UUP Maurice Galloway 921 Crumlin Road, Belfast, BT14 8AB

Coulter, Robert UUP CORBO 11 Wellington Street, Ballymena, BT43 6AB

Craig, Jonathan DUP Lagan Valley Imperial Association 3 Church Street, Dromore, BT25 1AA

Cree, Leslie UUP John Neill & Sons 20 Hamilton Road, Bangor, BT20 4LE

Dallat, John SDLP Edward McIntyre 11 Bridge St, Kilrea, Co Londonderry,BT48 6JZ

Dallat, John SDLP Stephen O'Hara Shop Unit, Newton Square, Limavady, BT49

Deeny, Kieran IHC Boaz Properties 51 Market Street, Omagh, BT78 1EL

Dodds, Nigel DUP Mr T Davey 33b Woodvale Road, Belfast, BT13 3BN

Doherty, Pat SINN FEIN West Tyrone Sinn Fein Unit 3 (Room 1), 1a Melvin Road Strabane, BT82 9PP

Donaldson, Jeffery DUP S J Anderson & Sons The Old Town Hall, 29 Castle Street, Lisburn, BT27 4DH

Durkan, Mark SDLP A E McCandless & Co Ltd 23 Bishop Street, Derry, BT48 6PR

Easton, Alex DUP Philip Frizzel 14 High Street, Holywood, BT18 9AZ

Easton, Alex DUP David Taylor 7 Bridge St, Donaghadee, Co Down, BT21 0AD

Elliott, Thomas UUP Thomas Henry 20 Brooke Street, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, NT71 7AN

Elliott, Thomas UUP Fermanagh Unionist Ass 1 Regal Pass, Enniskillen, BT74 7NT

Empey, Reg UUP MDM Properties 174 Albertbridge Rd, Belfast, BT5 4GS

Farry, Stephen ALLIANCE Alan Ferris 58 Abbey Street, Bangor, BT20 4JB

Ford, David ALLIANCE Noel Mclaughlin Unit 1a, 21-23 Carnmoney Road, Glengormley, BT36 6HL

Foster, Arlene DUP K & M Donaldson 54 Belmore St, Enniskillen, BT74 6AA

Gallagher, Tommy SDLP Frank & Mary McGrory 39 Darling St, Enniskillen, BT74 7DP

Gallagher, Tommy SDLP Thomas Corrigan 51 Irish Street, Dungannon, BT70 1DB

Gardiner, Sam UUP Charles Gardiner 58a High St, Lurgan, BT66 8AU

Gildernew, Michelle SINN FEIN South Tyrone Sinn Fein 60 Irish Street, Dungannon, BT70 1DQ

Hamilton, Simon DUP Tim Martin 1 Bridge Street Link, Comber, BT23 5YH

Hamilton, Simon DUP Bill McKelvey 82 Main Street, Saintfield, Co. Down, BT24 7AB

Hanna, Carmel SDLP MacFarlane and Smyth 393A Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9

Hay, William DUP Londonderry DUP 9 Ebrington Terrace, Londonderry, BT47 6JS

Hilditch, David DUP Adonis Developments 31 Lancastrian St, Carrickfergus, BT38 7AB

Irwin, William DUP M S Quinn Developments 8-10 Main Street, Co Armagh, BT61 9PW

Kelly, Dolores SDLP Mr William O'Hare 7 William St, Lurgan, BT66 6JA

Kelly, Gerry SINN FEIN Brian Quinn (Trustee) 291 Antrim Road, Belfast, BT15 2GZ

Kennedy, Danny UUP Noel Dalzell 107 Main St, Markethill, Co Armagh, BT60 1PJ

Lo, Anna ALLIANCE Lagan Properties Limited 88 University Street, Belfast, BT7 1HE

Lunn, Trevor ALLIANCE Mr & Mrs Hughes 17 Graham Gardens, Lisburn, BT28 1XE

Maginness, Alban SDLP Down & Connor St. Collumban USCSI First Floor, 228 Antrim Road, BT15 2GY

Maskey, Alex SINN FEIN Ardmore Commercial 174-184 Ormeau Road, Belfast, BT7 2ED

Maskey, Paul SINN FEIN Trustees of West Belfast 147 Andersonstown Road, Belfast, BT11 9BW

McAllister, John UUP Trustees of South down Unionist Assoc. 19 Causeway Road, Newcastle, BT33 0DL

McCann, Fra SINN FEIN Sevastapol Developments 147 Anderstown Road BelfastBT11 9BW

McCann, Jennifer SINN FEIN JP Properties W2 Colin Centre, Stewartstown Road, Belfast, BT11 9FY

McCarthy, Kieran ALLIANCE Thomas Orr Ltd 13 Court Street, Newtownards, BT23 7NX

McCartney, Raymond SINN FEIN Creggan Ent Ltd R3E Rathmor Business Park, Blighs Lane, Derry, BT48 0LZ

McCausland, Nelson DUP Dental World 256 Ballysillan Road, Belfast, BT14 7QT

McClarty, David UUP Limavady UUP Irish Green Street, Limavady, BT49 9AA

McClarty, David UUP Coleraine Div Unionist Association 36B Railway Road, Coleraine, BT52 1PE

McCrea, Basil UUP William & Immelda Draffin 19 Market Square, Dromore BT25 1AW

McCrea, Basil UUP John Richard McKee 34 Hillsborough Road, Lisburn, Bt28 1AQ

McCrea, Ian DUP Cookstown District No. 3 34 Fairhill Road, Cookstown, BT80 8AG

McCrea, William DUP BTW Shiells The Market House, 15/21 The Square, Ballyclare, BT39 9BB

McDonnell, Alasdair SDLP Mr & Mrs D McCauley 5 Finaghy Road North, Belfast, BT10 OJA

McElduff, Barry SINN FEIN West Tyrone Sinn Fein 4a James Street, Omagh, BT78 1DH

McFarland, Alan UUP John Neill & Sons 20 Hamilton Road, Bangor, BT20 4EL

McGill, Claire SINN FEIN West Tyrone Sinn Fein Unit 3, 1a Melvin Road, Strabane, BT82 9PP

McGimpsey, Michael UUP O'Connor Kennedy Turtle 127/145 Sandy Row, Belfast, BT12 5ET

McGlone, Patsy SDLP Joseph Gormley 4C Coleraine Road, Maghera, BT46 5BN

McGlone, Patsy SDLP Mr & Mrs F B McDonnell 54a William St, Cookstown, BT80 8NB

McGuinness, Martin SINN FEIN Tyrone Cultural Society 9 The Square, Coalisland, BT71 4LN

McHugh, Gerry INDP J Kingston 8 Queen Street, Enniskillen, BT74 7JR

McIlveen, Michelle DUP Frazer Kidd & Partners Unit 1, Alexander House, Bridge Street Link, Comber, BT23 5YH

McKay, Daithi SINN FEIN Dixons Contractors 162 Tullaghans Road, Dunloy, Ballymena, BT44 9AF

McLaughlin, Mitchell SINN FEIN Roddy McCorley Historical Society 2 Main Street, Randalstown, Co. Antrim, BT41 3AB

McNarry, David UUP David Smyth 9b Regent Street, Newtownards, BT23 4AB

McQuillan, Adrian DUP Robert Bradley 7 Moneydig Park, Garvagh, BT51 5JP

McQuillan, Adrian DUP East Londonderry DUP Association 55 Main Street,Garvagh, BT51 5AE

Molloy, Francis SINN FEIN Brian McLernon 7-9 The Square, Coalisland, BT71 4LN

Molloy, Francis SINN FEIN Tyrone Cultural Society 26 Burn Road, Cookstown, BT80 8ND

Morrow, Maurice DUP McMitchell & Brown 19 Church Street, Dungannon, BT71 6AB

Moutray, Stephen DUP Campbell Williamson 8 Rathfriland Street, Banbridge, BT32 3LA

Moutray, Stephen DUP Charles Gardiner 50A High Street, Lurgan, BT66 8AU

Murphy, Conor SINN FEIN Ti Chulainn 10a Newry street, Crossmaglen, BT35 9JH

Neeson, Sean ALLIANCE Wadsworth Estates 18 North St, Carrickfergus, BT38 8LR

Newton, Robin DUP Tony Burnett 13 Castlereagh Road, Belfast, BT5 5FB

Ni Chuilin, Caral SINN FEIN Brain Quinn (Trustee) First Floor, 291 Antrim Road, Belfast, BT15 2GZ

O'Dowd, John SINN FEIN Sinn Fein Upper Bann 77 North Street, Lurgan, BT67 9AH

O'Loan, Declan SDLP Joan Bailie First Floor Office, 64 William Street, Ballymena, BT43 6AW

O'Loan, Declan SDLP S+J Wright & W+J Fenton 37 Ann Street, Ballycastle, BT54 6AA

O'Neill, Michelle SINN FEIN Sth Derry Cultural & Heritage Society 79 Quarry Road, Gulladuff, Co Derry, BT45 8NT

Paisley, Ian Jnr. DUP Sarcon (No. 250 Ltd) 9-11 Church Street, Ballymena, BT44 8QU

Paisley, Rev DUP Sarcon (No. 250 Ltd) 9-11 Church Street, Ballymena, BT44 8QU

Paisley, Rev DUP M Colgan 142a Main Street, Bushmills, BT57 8QA

Poots, Edwin DUP S J Anderson & Sons Former Town Hall, Castle St, Lisburn, BT27 4SP

Purvis, Dawn PUP PUP Headquarters 299 Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 1AG

Ramsey, Pat SDLP Charles Coyle 1 Infirmary Road, L/Derry, BT48 7HG

Ramsey, Sue SINN FEIN Trustees of West Belfast 147 Andersonstown Road, Belfast, BT11 9BW

Ritchie, Margaret SDLP Hopkins Partnership 5 & 7 Irish St, Downpatrick, BT30 6BN

Robinson, George DUP Jackie Chan Units 3 & 4 Sindy's Shopping Mall, Catherine St, Limavady, BT49 9DB

Robinson, Ken UUP Economic Properties Metro Park Cloughfern Avenue, Newtownabbey, BT36 6DD

Ross, Alastair DUP Adonis Developments 31 Lancastrian Street, Carrickfergus, BT38 7AB

Ruane, Caitriona SINN FEIN Country Wide Estate Agents 7 Queens Street, Warrenpoint, BT34 3HZ

Savage, George UUP Ian & Beverley Burns 2 Castlewellan Road, B'Bridge, BT32 4AX

Savage, George Stanley Erwin 143 Bridge Street, Portadown, Co. Armagh, BT63 5AW

Shannon, Jim DUP Colin Dempster Ballywalter Village Hall, Main Street, Ballywalter, BT22 2PQ

Shannon, Jim DUP Derek Harkness 34a Frances St, N'Ards, BT23 7ND

Spratt, Jimmy DUP W H Pensions Trust 15 Cregagh Road, Belfast, BT6 8PX

Weir, Peter DUP Osborne, King 94 Abbey Street, Bangor, BT20 4JB

Wells, Jim DUP Millbay Investment Co Ltd 12 Bridge Street, Kilkeel, BT34 4AD

Wilson, Brian GREEN Brice & Co. 76 Abbey Street, Bangor, BT20 4JB

Wilson, Sammy DUP Ian Doherty 116 Main St, Larne, BT40 1RG

Wilson, Sammy DUP Adonis Developments 31 Lancastrian Street, Carrickfergus, BT38 7AB

Belfast Telegraph