Dewsbury MP Shahid Malik decides not to claim full expenses

Jan 23 2010 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

AN MP has decided not to claim thousands of pounds in expenses.

Shahid Malik told the Examiner yesterday he has chosen not to claim £4,000 in second home allowance – even though he is entitled to the money. The Dewsbury Labour man estimates he will claim less than half of the maximum amount of £24,222 for the Personal Additional Accommodation Expenditure in 2009/10.

The allowance covers second home costs including mortgage interest payments, rent, council tax, water, gas and electricity.

Yesterday he said: “I expect my claim will be less than half the maximum amount.”

Mr Malik said he would not claim for mortgage interest payments from April to October of last year – a total of between £3,500 and £4,000. The Labour MP moved to rented accommodation in October.

He said: “I have decided to forego certain things because I feel MPs need to restore confidence in our democracy.”

In 2008/09 Mr Malik claimed £23,782 in second home costs – just £224 short of the maximum.

The Dewsbury MP has also repaid nearly £240 for the cost of insuring his wife’s £8,000 diamond engagement ring. The ring had added £97.97 to his home insurance premium in 2008 and £136.87 last year.

Mr Malik said he had paid the money back, even though the claim was justified.

He said: “It was a legitimate expenditure and I’ve paid it back voluntarily. I did it to help restore a bit of confidence in democracy”.