But transparency is a two way mirror...
MPs are now forced to publish their expenses – so why aren’t MEPs?
23 May 2008
Press release
MPs are now forced to publish their expenses – so why aren’t MEPs?
On the day that MPs in Westminster finally revealed how they spend their expenses Open Europe called for the same rules to apply to MEPs.
Ironically, yesterday the leaders of the political parties in the European Parliament decided in a behind-closed-doors meeting to abandon plans to introduce even basic rules on financial transparency into the Parliament.
Today Open Europe publishes the results of its Transparency Initiative on MEPs’ staff allowances. For the past two months Open Europe has repeatedly asked UK MEPs to answer six simple - and completely uncontroversial - questions about how they spend their staff allowances, and whether they are properly accounted for.
Shockingly, only 19 out of 79 UK MEPs were prepared to provide full answers. 14 MEPs replied, but gave only partial answers, while 46 simply refused to answer the questions.
No, it's not that shocking really...anyway:
The questionnaire, and the answers to the questions, can be found at
http://www.openeurope.org.uk/research/eptransparency.xls
And the list of shame:
THE MEPS WHO HAVE NOT ANSWERED
Conservative:
Sir Robert Atkins Christopher Beazely John Bowis Philip Bushill-Matthews Martin Callanan Den Dover James Elles Malcolm Harbour Caroline Jackson Timothy Kirkhope John Purvis Struan Stevenson Robert Sturdy
Labour
Michael Cashman Richard Corbett Neena Gill Richard Howitt Stephen Hughes Glenys Kinnock Liz Lynne Linda MacAvan Claude Moraes Eluned Morgan Brian Simpson Peter Skinner Catherine Stihler Gary Titley Glenis Willmot
Liberal Democrat
Elspeth Attwooll Andrew Duff Fiona Hall Sarah Ludford Bill Newton-Dunn Emma Nicholson Diana Wallis
Non attached and Nationalist parties
Robert Kilroy-Silk Jill Evans Bairbre de Brun Ian Hudghton Alan Smith Jim Allister Jim Nicholson
UKIP
Graham Booth Derek Clark Roger Knapman Mike Natrass John Whittaker
The other Unionist, Jim Nicholson, has an excuse, what with all those exhausting "fact-finding" missions (the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Korea, Washington, Las Vegas, Australia and New Zealand)it's a wonder he has any time left to fill in all his expenses claims, never mind silly old transparency questionaires; but Mr Allister, what's his excuse?
2 comments:
Jim Nicholson tops the poll! Correct me if i'm wrong but i'm pretty certain Nicholson doesn't have a office either.
I'd say there are skeletons in the closet for the two Jims that neither want out in the open - but it will get out eventually much like the Westminster/NI Assembly allowances.
Tighter regulations and name & shaming exercises would hopefully put an end to this type of behaviour. Maybe for every junket the individual MEP must produce a detailed report on their findings to the relevant committee; although they may just get their wife/son/daughter/cousin to write it up.
Correct me if i'm wrong but i'm pretty certain Nicholson doesn't have a office either.
Certainly can't find one on his website.
Post a Comment