Rejected claims - planes, trains and automobiles

27 MPs have had at least one of their expenses claims rejected in the latest information released by Ipsa.

Researchers and MPs complain that one problem with the system is that it gives the appearance that they have put in a "dodgy" claim and been found out by the expenses watchdog.

In fact in most cases it is almost certainly because the claim has been wrongly submitted.

It then gets rejected under the heading "insufficient evidence", but most of them will be repaid when the correct claim is put in.

MPs are sanguine about the fact that every two months their claims are hauled before the press for close scrutiny.

One solution would be a shift towards "real time" recording of expenses claims or a weekly roundup - if you make the publication more regular, the press may get bored.

Among the rejected claims that caught our eye:

Ming Campbell's flight from Heathrow to Edinburgh (£286.06)

Simon Hughes' cleaning bill (£50)

Margaret Ritchie's two nights in a London hotel (£258.50)

Bob Ainsworth's claims for the London congestion charge (£24)

Andy Burnham's train tickets to his Leigh constituency (£252.90)

For more information visit Ipsa's searchable publication website.

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