Part of being approved as a Euro candidate for the the Lib Dems (including the Welsh Lib Dems) means committing to abide by a strict code on expenses. If at times some of the allegations in Westminster have been enough to make people weep over the state of our Democracy the ongoing abuses in the European Parliament could make people cry a full on river. I’ve reproduced the code at the end of this message. Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies has long been a champion of transparency in how our tax money is spent by elected members.
In Europe I’d love to say that the British, whichever party they were from, were different and conducted themselves in a way we could all be proud of. This snippet from Sunday’s Observer, shows that is a pride we can not have. UKIP, hang your head in shame.
“It will be rather perverse of voters to punish the sins of Parliament by rewarding UKIP. That party is hardly a paragon of virtue. One of the MEPs elected under UKIP’s banner at the last Euro elections was later jailed for benefit fraud. Another was charged with money laundering. As for the BNP, that party is no stranger to criminality”
LIBERAL DEMOCRAT CODE OF CONDUCT FOR MEPs
The Liberal Democrat European Parliamentary Party (LDEPP) is committed to the highest standards of public service.
Each of its Members undertakes to ensure strict observance of the European Parliament’s Rules governing the Payment of Expenses and Allowances to Members (PEAM).[1]
In addition, they agree to meet a common measure of transparency in order to ensure their accountability to the European Parliament, to the UK Liberal Democrats and to their electors.
This Guidance Note shall be appended to the Standing Orders of LDEPP.
Declaration of Interests
In their official Declarations of Financial Interests, LDEPP Members will declare whether they are members of the Parliament’s Voluntary Pension Scheme.
Members will declare whether they employ as assistants, or pay as service providers or paying agents, members of their family. In such cases, the level of payment shall be shown within bands of €10,000.
General Expenditure Allowance
As specified under PEAM Article 13, the Allowance is a monthly lump sum intended to meet expenditure resulting from ‘activities in their capacity as Members not covered by other allowances’. Inter alia, the Allowance covers the following items:
Travel and ancillary expenses within the UK
Office management and running costs
Purchase or rental of office equipment
Telephone and postage
Office supplies
Purchase of publications
Internet
IT hardware and software
The allowance may not be used to cover personal expenses or to finance subsidies or gifts of a political nature. It may not be used to contribute towards the Voluntary Pension Scheme.
An annual account shall be made of Members’ use of the Allowance. This account shall be certified by an independent, professionally qualified accountant, who shall have received a copy of this Note and of Parliament’s Rules. The audit statement must demonstrate compliance with the Rules of the Parliament, and will be filed with the delegation’s Whip. A summary of the account shall be published on each Member’s website.
Secretarial Assistance Allowance
PEAM Article 14 establishes the rules for the employment or engagement of assistants.
All staff employed by LDEPP Members must have a contract of employment in accordance with the law of a Member State.
The names of assistants and their job titles should be published, with their consent, on each Member’s website.
The names and functions of service providers should be published on Members’ websites.
Travel Allowance
Under PEAM Article 10, Members are entitled to an allowance to meet expenses incurred in connection with travel (outside the UK) undertaken in the performance of their official duties.
Members shall publish on their website the total claimed in the preceding year.
Daily Allowance
Under PEAM Article 11, Members are entitled to a subsistence allowance for the days or part days on which that they are present in the Parliament. Members shall publish on their website the total amount they claimed in the preceding year.
The next mandate
LDEPP Members support the implementation in full of the Members’ Statute (2005) as from July 2009.
Equally, LDEPP is committed to achieving a comprehensive agreement on an Assistants’ Statute to enter into force at the beginning of the next mandate.
This Note will be revised in due course to take account of these changes.
[1] Shortly to be published on the European Parliament’s website.
Update: in this morning’s Western Mail Labour MEPs have promised to publish all their receipts for claims under the European Parliament’s £44,000-a-year office allowance. However, as is set out above this is a monthly lump sum payable to members irrespective of receipts. The Liberal Democrat committment to an audited account offers greater transparency and certainty. Labour’s challenge to other political parties to follow their lead rings a little hollow therefore. In reality Labour are playing catch-up, not leading.
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