ePolitix Dods
  • Log-out
  • Logged-in as: Sue Perkins
  • Home
  • Policy
  • Legislation
  • The 1832 Blog
  • Events
  • Member Directory
    • Parliament & Government
    • Education
    • Health
    • Home Affairs
    • Culture
    • International & Defence
    • Energy & Environment
    • Economy
    • Transport
    • Communities

    Olympic village 'is MP housing solution'

    Bookmark and Share

    Member News

    Business welcomes mayor's devolution plans

    Atkinson appointed NPD for disability swimming

    Generation 2012: What have the Olympics ever done for us?

    London 2012 Aquatics centre roof and dive pool complete

    Countdown to London Olympics begins

    15th June 2009

    Housing MPs in the Olympic village could provide the solution to Westminster's problems with the second home allowance, a report has suggested.

    The Taxpayers' Alliance has proposed that Commons authorities could provide permanent homes for all MPs with constituencies outside London, following the completion of the Games, for a cost of £110m.

    Monday's report suggests the move would see the end of the £11.5m-a-year second home allowance, although MPs could still claim for utility bills and council tax.

    Taxpayers' Alliance chief executive Matthew Elliott said the scheme would pay for itself within 10 years.

    And he said it could lead to a profit for taxpayers if there is growth in the housing market.

    The Olympic village has already faced problems with its finances, with extra state funding made available after it struggled to raise private funding.

    The report pointed out that in Sweden MPs are accommodated in 250 apartments belonging to the parliament.

    "We have been paying for MPs to build their property empires for too long," said Elliott.

    "It is clearly necessary to consider radical proposals to ensure that we don't continue haemorrhaging taxpayers' cash every year."

    He said that taxpayers "won't want to see large amounts spent buying second homes for MPs when they are struggling to pay their own mortgages".

    "Using the Olympic village after the Games are over, which is already being built at the taxpayers' expense, would offer an affordable and sustainable way forward and aid the regeneration of the East End," he suggested.

    Bookmark and Share

    Have your say...

    Please enter your comments below.

    Name

    Your e-mail address


    Listen to audio version

    Please type in the letters or numbers shown above (case sensitive)

    Related News

    Dorries cleared of expenses abuse

    Minister investigated his own team

    Expenses rules are sexist, warns union

    Expenses regime succeeding 'against daunting odds'

    MPs and peer lose expenses appeal



    Latest news

    May announces new security measures

    The transportation of toner cartridges in airline hand baggage will be suspended.


    Statement in full - Theresa May

    Home secretary Theresa May's statement to the House of Commons on UK aviation security.


    Pro-Europeans damn Cameron with praise

    Pro-European Labour and Lib Dem MPs have praised David Cameron for his approach to EU budget negotiations.


    Police cuts 'hit hardest in poorer areas'


    Digital TV: 'A great British success story'


    Woking MP brings maiden season to a close


    Beholden to no-one


    Awareness of rarer cancers


    More from ePolitix.com


    RSS feeds

    • News
    • MP articles
    • Peer articles
    • Researcher articles
    • Legislation

    Policy

    • Education
    • Health
    • Home Affairs
    • Culture
    • More...

    Archives

    • MP articles
    • Peer articles
    • Member articles
    • Blog posts
    • ePolitix.com comment

    The House Magazine

    • About the magazine
    • Contact the magazine
    • Advertising
    • Subscriptions
    • Articles archive
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertising opportunities
    • About our Members
    • Services for parliamentarians
    • Sign up for free politics bulletins

    More from Dods


    • Dods.co.uk
    • Dods people
    • Dods monitoring
    • Dods Events
    • Dods Training
    • Public affairs news
    • The Parliament
    • Public sector delivery
    • Westminster briefing
    • The House magazine
    • Civil Service Network
    • ePolitix
    • Euro Source
    • Civil Service Live
    • The training Journal
    Dods logo
    © Dods Ltd 2010