Review of a determination by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to refuse expense claims to Liam Byrne MP

The Compliance Officer for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has today published his review of a determination by IPSA to refuse an expense claim submitted by Liam Byrne MP.

The original claim, for the costs incurred relating to leaflet mailings, was rejected by IPSA in full on the basis that the leaflets were party political in nature, and therefore ineligible under the MPs' Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses ('the Scheme').

The Compliance Officer has concluded that the leaflets are not party political in nature, but that the determination made by IPSA to refuse the claim was nonetheless correct in part. The conclusion determines that Mr Byrne should be reimbursed for half of the cost incurred. 

A full copy of the review can be found on the Completed Reviews page.

Notes to Editors

1. The Compliance Officer for IPSA is an independent office holder, established as a separate public authority from IPSA under the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, as amended by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.

2. The Compliance Officers powers to conduct a review of IPSA’s determination to refuse an expense claim by an MP in whole or in part derive from Section 6A of the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009 (as amended by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010). Guidance on the Review procedures are contained within the Procedures for Investigations of the Compliance Officer for IPSA (Third Edition).

3. Details of all claims made by MPs for business costs and expenses can be found on IPSA's website.

4. The Scheme states that MPs have the right to be reimbursed for unavoidable costs where they are incurred wholly, exclusively and necessarily in the performance of their parliamentary functions.

5. IPSA’s Press Office – 020 7811 6462.