MPs told they can put costs of staff Christmas parties at taxpayers’ expense

MPs have been told they will be able to lump the cost of food and drink for Christmas staff parties on taxpayers for the first time.

But the “hospitality” claims cannot include alcoholic beverages, guidance from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) states.

The expenses watchdog issued the advice in response to “frequently asked questions” about how MPs and their staff can celebrate during the festive season.

Ipsa confirmed that “MPs can claim the costs of food and refreshments for an office festive” in their parliamentary or constituency offices, but warned “no claims are allowed for alcohol”.

The cost of “festive decorations for their office” can also be claimed, the guidance first reported by the Daily Mail says.

MPs were told that any claims “should represent value for money, especially in the current economic climate”, as millions feel the strain of a cost-of-living crisis.

It comes as MPs’ expenses have risen considerably over the past couple of years partly due to hiring more staff for Covid casework.

Costs including travel, accommodation and staff rose to £138.6 million in 2021-22.

“MPs already get a plum deal without taxpayer-funded office jollies,” said John O’Connell of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, reported the Mail.

“While businesses and households in their constituencies pay for parties out of their own pockets, politicians get to dip into the public purse. MPs who want Christmas bashes should foot the bill themselves.”

It comes as more than 20 Tory MPs billed the taxpayer for TV licenses this year – despite scrapping free licenses for thousands of pensioners.

The Conservative Party broke a manifesto pledge to protect the £157.50 lifeline for the over-75s. Instead, Boris Johnson lumped the £745million cost of the benefit onto the BBC.

And since August 2020, only over-75s who receive Pension Credit have been eligible for free licences. Older people’s groups have called for the lifeline to be restored as living standards take a battering.

But some 58 MPs across all parties have claimed for TV licences this year, according to new figures published by expenses watchdog Ipsa.

The watchdog says MPs are allowed to claim back TV licence fees for their constituency offices, if they use it to “support their parliamentary work”.

Of the 21 Conservatives who claimed licences on expenses, 13 were MPs in 2016, when free TV licences were last put to a Commons vote – and all of them voted to scrap them.