Benefit minister claimed for Artex removal

Kitty Ussher, who is a junior minister at the Department for Work and Pensions, notes the coverings ‘could be a matter of taste’ but that she regards them as ‘dilapidations’.

The claim is among 12 listed in a letter to expenses officials, sent less than a year after she became an MP. In the letter she says a lot of work is needed to ‘modernise and to repair’ the house, which she had owned for five years.

The officials ruled it was not acceptable to claim for replastering over the Artex, but agreed that repainting costs would be covered, and also approved most of the other work.

In all Ms Ussher claimed second home expenses of £17,903 in 2005/06, the maximum of £22,110 in 2006/07, and £22,767 in 2008/09.

A spokesperson for Ms Ussher said her claims were in line with expenses rules.

Junior housing minister Iain Wright has also had claims made public by The Daily Telegraph, which has got hold of details of claims made by 646 MPs over four years.

Mr Wright claimed £1,811 for equipment for his second home in 2005 despite not having yet bought the property. He ran up second home expenses of £20,493 in 2005/06, £18,780 in 2006/07, and £17,882 in 2007/08.

He said he was already in the process of buying a flat when he bought the items.