Parliaments reveal our politicians’ expenses claims

Figures released by the Scottish Parliament reveal that the Conservative member made 486 separate claims in 2014/15 and received a total of £27,631 on top of his basic salary of £58,678.

His expenses included £7,115 in personal travel, £3,124 on accommodation in Edinburgh, £2,158 for staff travel, £12,293 in office costs and £1,720 for surgery advertisements.

South of Scotland list MSP Jim Hume (Lib Dem), who lives at Newtown, submitted 108 claims worth £13,111. He spent £1,788 on personal travel, £3,567 on accommodation in the capital and £7,461 on office costs.

The SNP’s Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South,Tweeddale and Lauderdale, received a total of £11,451 from 141 claims, including £1,106 for personal travel, £37 for staff travel, £7,799 for office costs and £1,720 for advertising her surgeries.

Finally, list MSP Paul Wheelhouse (SNP) submitted 137 claims and received £10,344, including £140 in personal travel costs, £3,459 for Edinburgh accommodation, £1,675 for staff travel, £4,378 on office costs and £195 on surgery adverts.

At Westminster, Michael Moore, the former Lib Dem MP who lost his Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk seat at the General Election, claimed £46,645 in expenses on top of his salary of £66,396 in 2014/15.

This included £8,459 for accommodation, £19,299 for his office, £7,822 for staffing (not included in the MSP figures) and £10,968 for travel.

The region’s other MP, Conservative David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale), received expenses totalling £58,678.