Dr Evan Harris Leads by Example on Expenses

5.51.23pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 19th Jun 2009

Dr Harris strongly supports reforms to the expenses system so that it may regain public trust and confidence. In choosing to lead by example, Evan has decided that in future he will claim for only very basic costs incurred for his one bedroom flat in London.

For the year 2009-10, he will therefore claim for only mortgage interest, utility bills, council tax, repairs and a service charge. This is far more limited than that proposed by the House for 2009-10 even after the controversy.

However, he has gone further still, by backdating this policy to 2008/9. He had long before stopped claiming for food subsistence, but to backdate has required repaying £4000 of fixed costs involved with moving flats - which although allowable and uncriticised, falls outside his new policy.

He moved from his previous one-bedroom flat in November 2008 after 11 years, in order that he may move to another one bedroom flat with a study. He often works late into the night and now can also do so from home.

Dr Harris has already confirmed his long-standing policy that any capital gains realised from his flat in London which were publicly financed will be passed on to the taxpayer when the flat is no longer needed for Parliamentary duties.

His flat in London (both his first one from 1997-2008 and his current one from 2008-present) has always been designated as his "second home" for the purposes of the Additional Costs Allowance, HM Revenue and Customs, and its predecessor, the Inland Revenue. He has never engaged in the practice of "flipping".