Ipswich MP Chris Mole has made his claims for additional costs (ACA) available for public scrutiny.

Chris explains that the sitting hours of the House of Commons do not make it practical and often not possible to return to the Ipswich on a nightly basis. The majority of business concludes after 10.30 PM on Mondays and Tuesdays and committee and other business can resume at 8.55 the next morning. When there are finance bills, or bills in dispute with the House of Lords, these can and do continue through the night, sometimes at short notice.

Since becoming an MP I have stayed in two flats. The first was a rented studio flat where I had to fold down the sofa bed each night! In 2004 I bought a one bedroom former local authority flat on leasehold and have claimed variable rate interest only on 90% of the purchase price. As a consequence my cost to the tax payer has decreased significantly as the following table shows:

You will see that in aggregate my decision to purchase has saved the taxpayer some £25k, despite additional furnishing costs.

I understand the concern the public has about this issue, but want to reassure constituents that I do not consider this property as a “second home”, but as somewhere to sleep and to do some work.

When I was first an MP I had no choice but to stay in hotels. This was hugely disruptive and unsettling and I concluded not a practical long term basis for overnight stays in London.