COVID-19 Budgets

I wanted to be completely transparent with my constituents about the highly misleading headline in The Times. To be absolutely clear... MPs are not getting any extra money for working at home.

Here are the facts;

• MPs office budgets have been extended by £10k. This is not pay, or additional money for MPs or their staff.

• This is a COVID-19 contingency budget, to enable MPs to support our constituents throughout this crisis, to disseminate public information to inform residents about how to stay safe from COVID-19, and to purchase urgent requirements such as equipment for our teams so they can work from home to help constituents.

• This is not money that has been given out - it can be reclaimed on the purchase of vital equipment, and only if needed.

Not a penny of this budget goes to my personal bank account, nor have I used it to purchase anything for me to work from home. Indeed, my staff and I are all using existing equipment while our physical office is closed.

Any use of this contingency fund requires receipts and justification that it was valid spend, and will be published in full for public transparency. 

IPSA – which is independent of MPs - made the decision to provide this emergency budget.

I hope that puts minds to rest but, as ever, if you have any questions, drop me an email at: simon.fell.mp@parliament.uk