Parliamentary expenses

As an inner London MP I do not receive an allowance for a second home. I have not received a letter from Sir Thomas Legg this week as part of the review of MPs' additional costs claims.

All my claims since I was elected in 2005 have been for the costs of running my office (computers, stationery, staff salaries etc) and serving Hackney constituents. Every single claim has been accompanied by a receipt.

Ultimately every pound of taxpayers' money saved is a pound to spend on vital public services. It is this ethos which has driven my approach throughout my career in public service and will continue to do so.

I have always declared fully to the tax authorities and paid all tax due.

Below is a breakdown of my parliamentary expenses for the 2007/08 allowance period.

Cost of staying away from main home, £0
London Supplement (this is London Weighting), £2,812

Office running costs
Called 'Incidental Expenses Provision' by the House of Commons authorities. This covers everything from paperclips to computers.

Stationery, £ 1,661
Postage costs, £5,320
IT (computers for staff), £882
Other (including phone bills, additional IT running costs, staff training and volunteer expenses), £5,725
Communications costs (This covers things such as printing of advice surgery notices and newsletters, website and delivery costs), £18,645

Previously much of this expenditure was deemed to come under office costs but the House authorities advised that this should be transferred to the new communications allowance.

Staffing Costs (including salaries and employers National Insurance contributions), £90,514
Travel, £928
Staff travel, £0

Further information on Members' allowances can be found on the Houses of Parliament website