Paul Rowen MP's Expenses Breakdown
Added 24/06/2009I have always tried to be as transparent as possible concerning my expenses as any money I spend has ultimately come from the taxpayer. I believe that the expenses I do claim all go towards improving my work as MP for Rochdale.
Further to this, as a member of the Liberal Democrat party, I have constantly opposed attempts by the other two main parties to restrict the applicability of Freedom of Information to MPs expenses. As such, although dismayed by the circumstances of the disclosure of information concerning MPs expenses to the Telegraph, I took this opportunity to release and go through all my expenses with local papers including the Manchester Evening News, ensuring transparency as soon as possible.
Summary The breakdown of my expense claims shows where my priorities lie - in working hard for the residents of Rochdale and in representing them here and in Parliament.
This means that the vast majority of my expense claims go on staffing and running my busy office in Rochdale, where the majority of my paid staff are based, and none of whom are family members. My office is accessible to the public Monday to Friday and is located at 142A Drake Street, Rochdale, OL16 1PS.
My 'second homes' allowance has been relatively high in the past due to the fact that I only became an MP at the last election and as such had to purchase a property in London at the height of the property boom in order to carry out my Parliamentary duties. I have an interest only mortgage and as a consequence the total of my ‘second homes’ allowance will fall considerably this year (08/09) due to the fall in interest rates, with my mortgage interest payments currently standing at under £130 per month - in 07/08 that would have put me in the lowest 5% of all MPs that are eligible to claim the allowance (London MPs cannot claim this allowance). Below is an outline of the allowances that I can claim as an MP to help me represent my constituents, along with information on what each is for and the amount that I have claimed. I have also provided a comparison with other local MPs below the allowances and at the bottom of this page.*
Salary
As an MP, I receive £64,766 in salary and a final salary pension scheme.
Personal Additional Accommodation Expenditure (PAAE) This expense will be better known to you, through the media, as the ‘second homes’ allowance.
Previously known as the Additional Costs Allowance, this is the allowance that has become known as the 'second homes' allowance in the media. The PAAE covers the cost of the interest on a mortgage or rent on a second home or hotel costs if an MP chooses to stay in a hotel rather than buy or rent an additional property. This year (08/09) the PAAE limit is £24,006, I have spent £21883.92.
When I became an MP back in 2005 I stayed in hotels for a while until I was able to buy a flat in Battersea. Rochdale is my main home and will always be. I chose to buy a flat because I calculated that it would save the taxpayer money - my mortgage interest (I pay the capital on the mortgage) is about £1300/month, whereas if I rented the cost averages between £1250 and £1600 each month. As mentioned, this amount will be greatly reduced for the year 08/09 where as rental prices in London have remained at a similar level.
I paid a local, Rochdale decorator £750 to decorate my whole flat. I think that it is of paramount importance to support local traders, further, a similar service from a London based business would have cost several thousand pounds and could have been much dearer. In addition, unlike many MPs I do not employ a cleaner for my flat but clean it myself.
I bought furniture for my flat from 2005-06 and have since not claimed for further furniture since. Further, the majority of my furniture is either second hand from home or has been purchased with my own money.
Travel Expenditure
The Travel Expenditure used to be known as the Travel Allowance and is used to allow me to travel between Rochdale and Parliament as I need to on a weekly basis to carry out my parliamentary duties. In addition, members of my staff may share up to 24 single journeys each year as long as these journeys are between London and the constituency and are made in connection with the MP's parliamentary duties - training at the House of Commons for example.
Given the differing nature of MPs' constituencies, there is no limit on the amount that an MP can spend on travel as those representing constituencies that are a long way from London, like Orkney and Shetland will inevitably have to spend more than others who represent areas nearer the capital. In the last financial year I spent £12, 129 (144th). In 2006/07 I spent £10, 983 (167th). I normally travel by train as this is the quickest way for me to get from Rochdale to Westminster, although on occasion I do need to drive down. Whenever possible I look to find the cheapest train tickets available but the nature of my job is such that it is often difficult for me to know a long time in advance when I will need to travel down to London from week to week.
| Name | PAAE | Member's Travel | Member's Travel & PAAE | Ranking out of 4 |
| Janet Anderson (Rossendal and Darwen) | £23,039 | £19,457 | £42,586 | 1 |
| Phil Woolas (Oldham East and Saddleworth | £23,083 | £17,754 | £40,837 | 2 |
| Paul Rowen (Rochdale) | £23,083 | £12,129 | £35,212 | 3 |
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton) | £9,426 | £7,892 | £17,318 | 4 |
Administrative and Office Expenditure (AOE)
Previously known as the Incidental Expenses Provision, the AOE is used to cover the costs of running a constituency office and allows for the rent of a premises, the utility bills associated with running and maintaining an office, the purchase of office equipment, stationery, etc. It also covers the cost of the rent of space for the surgeries that I hold for constituents to raise any concerns that they have with me. At present I hold 4 surgeries each month across the constituency. My priority is working hard for my constituents and being accessible to them, and there are certain costs that will inevitably arise from that. So after staffing costs, the AOE is the allowance for which I claim the most. This is because, unlike many other MPs, I have an office that is open to the public 5 days a week. It is an extremely busy office, with a large workload and this means that certain costs arise - for example, last year the phone bill alone and average of £400 pounds a month! Each year I look to make savings, which is why the claims I make each year have come down. This year the limit for the AOE is £22,393 and in the last financial year I spent £22,994 the previous year I spent £28.850 and the year before that, my first as an MP, I spent £27,924 given the set up costs associated with being a new MP and having to get my office up and running.
I attempt to make office costs savings wherever possible, using recycled printer cartridges at a cost of £10, about a quarter of the price as new cartridges. Such cartridges are also environmentally friendly with a much reduced carbon and water footprint.
Staffing Expenditure
Staffing expenditure (formerly the Staffing Allowance) is the allowance that is used to cover staff salaries and employer's National Insurance contributions, as well as any redundancy settlements or payments for bought-in services such as training. This year the limit is £103,812.
Last year (07/08) I spent £88,468 (Joint 293rd), the year before £79,722 (456th) and the year before that £75,053. This is the allowance on which I spend the most because the volume of work that comes into the office means that I have to employ more staff than a lot of other MPs. I have a high caseload in relation to immigration and welfare matters and try to answer all queries that come into my office as quickly as possible. Since becoming an MP in 2005 I have dealt with over 4,000 individuals' casework, receiving hundreds of letters every week in addition to talking to people at my weekly surgeries and individuals dropping in at the office.
I employ one researcher in my Westminster office to help with my select committee work and role as Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Minister. In Rochdale I have one full time and one part time caseworker in addition to an office manager and diary secretary. Additionally, in Westminster I have an intern, a local student from Rochdale who is able to claim modest travel and lunch costs whilst gaining valuable experience. I don't employ any family members.
The amount of work is increasing all the time, which I hope is a reflection of the work that my staff and I are doing as my constituents see that they get a good service from us. This means that my staffing costs have increased to meet the increased demand.
| Name | AOE | Staffing Expenditure | AOE & Staffing Expenditure | Ranking out of 4 |
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood &Middleton) | £16,088 | £95,754 | £111,842 | 1 |
| Janet Anderson (Rossendale & Darwen) | £29,281 | £82,300 | £111,581 | 2 |
| Paul Rowen (Rochdale) | £22,994 | £88,468 | £111,462 | 3 |
| Phil Woolas (Oldham East & Saddleworth) | £21,319 | £88,848 | £110,167 | 4 |
Communications Expenditure
This is the allowance that lets me keep in touch with my constituents. Previously known as the Communications Allowance, it is used to meet the cost of regular reports and constituency newsletters; questionnaires, surveys and petitions as well as advertising surgeries and constituency meetings. It also pays for envelopes, stamps, etc, which enables me to maintain regular contact with constituents and to respond as fully as possible to their concerns. This year's limit is £10,400 and last year I spent £10, 324 (joint 103rd).
| Name | Communications Expenditure | Ranking ouf of 4 |
| Phil Woolas (Oldham East & Saddleworth) | £11,372 | 1 |
| Paul Rowen (Rochdale) | £10,324 | 2 |
| Janet Anderson (Rossendale & Darwen) | £9,930 | 3 |
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton) | £697 | 4 |
Further information:
For further information on MPs' expenses visit http://www.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/finances.cfm or for an individual breakdown of each MP's expenses go to www.theyworkforyou.com.
Parliamentary activity: Below is a comparison of some of my parliamentary activity with other MPs in the area:
| Name | Debates Spoken in in Last Year | Ranking out of 4 |
| Paul Rowen (Rochdale) | 43 | 1 |
| Phil Woolas (Oldham East & Saddleworth) | 16 | 2 |
| Janet Anderson (Rossendale & Darwen) | 13 | 3 |
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton) | 8 | 4 |
| Name | Written Questions Answered in Last Year | Ranking out of 4 |
| Paul Rowen (Rochdale) | 178 | 1 |
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton) | 32 | 2 |
| Janet Anderson (Rossendale & Darwen) | 21 | 3 |
| Phil Woolas (Oldham East & Saddleworth) | 0 (Ministers do not ask questions) |
| Name | Votes attended (%) | Ranking out of 4 |
| Phil Woolas (Oldham East & Saddleworth) | 79 | 1 |
| Janet Anderson (Rossendale & Darwen) | 75 | 2 |
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton) | 73 | 3 |
| Paul Rowen (Rochdale) | 64 | 4 |
I am a member of the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe which means that there are periods when I am not in the house and able to vote but am on House of Commons business.
* All figures are sourced from the independent website www.theyworkforyou.com and were correct on 24 June 2009.