By Martin Banks - 26th February 2009
If you really don't give a damn the system is open to abuse
Chris Davies
British MEP Chris Davies has called for disclosure rules on MEP expenses to be tightened before this June's European elections.
The demand comes in the wake of a report this week by the UK-based Taxpayers' Alliance (TPA) which said MEPs' expenses and pensions are so lavish that they can earn as much as €1.13m on top of their salaries over their five-year term in parliament.
On Monday, the TPA published an internal report – the Galvin Report – on abuse of MEPs' expenses, which had been kept secret by parliament but was partially leaked by Davies last year.
Last March, Dutch MEP Paul van Buitenen posted a short summary of the report on his website, defying the secrecy that fellow MEPs had voted for.
Davies, an ALDE deputy who has long campaigned for more openness on the issue, says expenses were not being abused by everyone but called for disclosure rules to be tightened for all UK candidates before the 4-7 June elections.
He told the BBC on Thursday that, "Parliament's rules are not designed to encourage an approach to the use of taxpayers' money that MEPs would themselves expect of any other public body.
"If you really don't give a damn the system is open to abuse."
Parliament is introducing changes to MEPs' salaries and allowances after the June election.
The standard monthly payment for all MEPs will be just over €7,000.
After June, the MEPs' flat-rate travel allowance will be replaced by the reimbursement of expenses actually incurred but they will continue to get flat-rate subsistence and general expenditure allowance.
Davies remains unconvinced, adding,"Such curbs on perks as are being introduced will apply only to new members rather than existing ones – turkeys don't vote for Christmas."
Meanwhile, van Buitenen has announced he will stand down in June because of what he calls parliament's reluctance to seriously tackle fraud.
He told a Dutch TV news programme that he was "very disappointed" that no action had been taken on the cases of fraud he had brought to light.
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