[Kizzy]

The case stems from a freedom of information request in 2010 by a Sunday Telegraph journalist to Ipsa relating to disclosure of three specific receipts submitted by MPs in support of their claims. The reporter wanted copies of the originals, but was provided with a typed transcript. He complained to the information commissioner, who ruled in his favour in 2012, ordering that the receipts be disclosed.

Following that decision, Ipsa lost its case at two tribunal hearings.

'After dismissing the latest appeal on Tuesday, Lord Justice Richards said the order that copies of the original documents should be released would be put on hold pending any move by Ipsa to the supreme court.

An Ipsa spokesman said after the ruling: “We need to study the judgment carefully. The court made clear that this is an important test case with implications not just for Ipsa but for all other public bodies.

“We were right to test the point of law through an appeal to see whether images of receipts add anything additional to all the information about MPs’ expenditure that we already release.'

How is it that there is less transparency, is this yet another example of 'us and them'...
How much public money are they spending why can't we know, and how are they allowed to spend more challenging decisions that we be prevented from knowing?

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...xpenses-ruling

[Livia]

I wonder why they're referring to it as Ipsa and not IPSA? Anyhoo... many MPs are all for being transparent to stop them being tarred with the same brush as those who cheated. Indeed a lot of MPs, my own local MP included, already publish their full expenses on their websites. MPs have no control over what IPSA does as its title suggests - the I stands for independent.

[Kizzy]

Seeing it's headed for the supreme court some obviously do mind, they can't be totally independent someone has to be at the helm.

[Livia]

Independent from Parliament.

[bitontheslide]

Its such a silly point of contention that they are trying to appeal against that they can only be doing it because they have something to hide. Who knows whether they lost the originals or that the information provided doesn't tie up with the original. Either way they should just admit it and let the public judge.

[Livia]

I hope everyone's clear to everyone that IPSA acts independently of MPs.

[waterhog]

i am expecting a long outrageous list but with this in force we might stop them abusing there positions.

[Kizzy]

'The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) is the body created by Parliament to independently oversee and regulate MPs’ business costs and expenses.'

I understand this body exists yet if MPs wish to have clarification as to their expenses then who gives the authority to continue legal action to protect them.

http://parliamentarystandards.org.uk...s/default.aspx

[Kizzy]

'Up to 1m receipts and invoices submitted by MPs since 2010 are to be released on demand by the parliamentary expenses watchdog.

It follows a decision by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) to drop a £187,000 legal fight to keep the documents out of the public domain.

Ipsa already releases summaries of MPs’ expenses in spreadsheet form. A spokeswoman said on Wednesday it would now release copies of MPs’ invoices and receipts in redacted form if requested through the Freedom of Information Act.

The development means that Ipsa will be forced to spend more public money redacting personal information from the documents.

However, it will also put more information into the public domain, which campaigners claim will improve scrutiny.

Ipsa said in a statement it was no longer fighting a request from December 2010 for three receipts submitted by George Osborne, John Bercow and Alan Keen, a former Labour MP.'

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...s-and-invoices

[empire]

from the toffee nosed twats, to the champagne socialists, I will love to see the look on there tory faces, when they have been found out, how much they have been stealing from the hard working british public