A Conservative MP could be forced to repay more than £1,000 after submitting more than 700 "inaccurate" mileage claims.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) said claims submitted by Harrow East MP Bob Blackman were "in almost every instance not accurate and greater than the distance travelled".
Blackman disputes IPSA's findings, but in the meantime a car mileage app, which monitors journey times and lengths, has been offered for free to all MPs and members of the House of Lords.
Automotive software specialist DCML has offered the product to help IPSA manage difficult to monitor mileage claims. It is hoped MPs, Lords and the regulator will welcome the app to reduce dishonest claims.
Vince Powell, managing director of DCML, said: “This sort of thing goes on in businesses up and down Britain, but we stepped in on this occasion because MPs and Lords must be whiter than white when it comes to expenses.
“We wanted to do our bit to minimise any room for dishonesty and we want to make life easier for individuals who represent us while reducing the burden on IPSA itself.”
The app records car journeys using GPS and emails an accurate route and mileage summary via its ‘export’ function.
AJB - 06/02/2015 12:18
Are HMRC aware ??