The big issue

So, this is the post I'm sure you've been waiting for.

Firstly, please accept my apologies for the delay in responding to the many questions raised regarding MPs' expenses. I was away the week beginning 18th May and out and about in the constituency last week, so I've only had time for brief posts until now.

Secondly, let me confirm that I do not censor this blog - your comments are reproduced verbatim. I have read them all and here I will respond to the questions you have raised.

Recently I have been accused in a local Tory leaflet of costing over £1 million in the last twelve years! I plead guilty along with every other MP who has been in the House for that length of time and who will have necessarily incurred that amount of expenditure. For a start, over £600,000 will have been paid to my staff during that time, as well as around £200,000 for my constituency office. I do not handle any of that money. It is paid directly by the House authorities.

A number of you have noticed that my website has not been updated in recent months. Again - my apologies. This was difficult, complex and time consuming to do and, as a result, I am having the website reconstructed so that it can be more easily updated. Part of that change will be to load onto the site a full list of all of my expenses from 2004 to 2008. This should be completed by the end of the week, although, at present, I seem to be having an uphill struggle with technology.

All of my expenditure has been published on the Parliamentary website and regularly featured and commented upon in two of the local papers, the Independent and Advertiser, over the last five years. For the record, I supported the Freedom of Information Act and wanted even stronger powers to ensure that publication of expenses happens, as I believe this is in the public interest. I also opposed the various attempts to exempt MPs from the Act.

Your comments reflect the widespread anger and concern about the abuses that have been exposed in recent weeks. These abuses are inexcusable and must be punished. Like other MPs, I accept a shared responsibility for this failure and a determination to replace it with a system that is independent and transparent and commands the support of the British people.

When I first entered Parliament, the House met regularly until 2am, 4am or all night, and for four nights a week until at least 10.30pm. MPs were also expected to sit on Legislative standing committees and be involved in a wide range of issues that meant being in Parliament from 9am or 10am in the morning. Over a period this proved difficult and stressful, especially when you consider the extensive additional workload in the constituency on Friday and over the weekend. To cope, I purchased a flat near Parliament which, I believe, has made me a more effective and conscientious back-bench and constituency MP. Following the change in working hours I supported the measures brought forward to reform the second home allowance (ACA) and voted recently to end the right outer London MPs have to claim the second home allowance.

I strongly endorse the publication of MPs' expenses in full; the move from self regulation to independent external regulation; and the setting up of an interim independent panel (commission) to scrutinise all claims and, where necessary, ensure that bogus claims are refunded. In that way, hopefully we can start to re-establish the trust that is critical if Parliament is to have the support of the British people.