Smith denies wrongdoing over “second home” expenses
The home secretary has denied breaking any rules by claiming “second home” expenses for a residence she shares with her family.
Jacqui Smith is permitted to claim up to £24,000 annually for her house in Redditch as her sister’s house in London is registered as her main residence.
Her statement comes after a report in the Mail on Sunday newspaper alleged Ms Smith has claimed more than £116,000 from the Additional Costs Allowance over several years.
Ms Smith’s sister’s property receives a round-the-clock guard from two police officers, an expense to the taxpayer the newspaper has criticised.
As home secretary, Ms Smith qualifies for a “grace and favour” residence in Whitehall, her taking of which would negate the need for claiming the Additional Costs Allowance.
Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker said the Ms Smith’s claiming of the “second home” expenses seemed to be “extraordinarily bad value for the taxpayer”.
“This suggests that the steps taken to eliminate unsatisfactory elements of the housing allowance system have not yet been completed,” he added.
However, a spokeswoman for the Cabinet member denied any wrongdoing on Ms Smith’s part.
“The home secretary has always abided fully with Parliament’s clear rules on expenses and has long-standing written approval from the Parliamentary Fees Office for any agreed expenses,” she said.
“She spends the majority of her time in London attending to government business and has full approval for any associated expenses relating to her second home in her West Midlands constituency.”
The spokeswoman said Ms Smith had lived with her sister in the London residence since serving as a backbench MP and was “perfectly happy” with the arrangement.
The report comes after standards commissioner John Lyon said the “normal criteria” for an MP’s main residence was where they spent the majority of nights in a week.
