MPs' expenses finally disclosed but heavily blacked out

MPs' expenses finally disclosed but heavily blacked out

The expenses claims of every MP for the past four years have been published, but with some key details blacked out.


Commons authorities have published the details after a long-running Freedom of Information battle.

The addresses that claims relate to - and correspondence - have been removed on privacy and security grounds.

This means it is not possible to see if MPs "flipped" second homes - a key part of the Daily Telegraph's revelations from its leaked version of the data.

MPs have said some details, like addresses and travel patterns, have to be withheld for security reasons.

But other details have been removed in the official version such as Prime Minister Gordon Brown's claims for his Sky television subscription - despite the fact it was published last year, also under the Freedom of Information Act.

MPs' expenses made public online (BBC News, 18 June 2009)