£10,000 kitchens, £2000 suites: what MPs can claim on expenses

The so-called "John Lewis list"- named after the department store famous for its "never knowingly undersold" slogan - is used by Commons officials to approve or reject MPs' expenses claims.

It was finally released yesterday under the Freedom of Information Act but not until after a three-year battle. The Commons authorities fiercely resisted journalistic attempts to get them published, claiming to do so would be an invasion of MPs' privacy.

However, it was not until recently that most MPs themselves had any idea the "John Lewis list" existed.

Andrew Walker, the Commons Director General of Resources, had previously refused to release the document for fear honourable members would take advantage, if they knew how much they could claim for certain items.

"My concern," he told a recent Information Tribunal hearing, "would be that if we say what the maximum price we will allow for such an item is, it will become the going rate." The now not-so secret document lists the prices for 38 household items, which MPs can claim under the Additional Costs Allowance (ACA), a £22,000-a-year pot of money to meet the expense of maintaining a second home in the UK capital.

Among listed items are: £2000 for a furniture suite; £1000 for a bed; £500 for a dressing table; £750 for a hi-fi; £270 for a recordable DVD player and £50 for a shredder.

A note to clerks instructs that dry cleaning for both clothes and household items is permitted "within reasonable limits". It refers to Westminster's "Green Book" setting out the rules on MPs' expenses, which says "antique, luxury or premium-grade" furnishings are not allowed. Nor are "extravagant or luxurious" items.

The document explains John Lewis is used as a guide because it "came out top of all retail shops" in the February 2007 edition of Which? on cost, customer service and variety of goods.

The guide-price list disclosure is unlikely to endear MPs any more closely to their constituents given the recent criticism they have suffered in the wake of the Derek Conway scandal.

The back bencher was temporarily banned from the Commons and had the Tory whip withdrawn after he was berated for paying his son £40,000 as a parliamentary researcher but for no apparent work.

Michael Martin, the Speaker himself, recently came under attack after it emerged he claimed more than £75,000 under the ACA scheme despite not having a mortgage on his second home and that his wife Mary had claimed more than £4000 in taxi fares.

Only this week, MPs were told that the ceiling for declaring everyday expenses had fallen from £250 to £25 - still higher than MSPs, who have to declare every jot and tittle.

However, it also emerged that the new openness did not extend to detailing MPs' food bills; honourable members can still claim up to £400 a month without providing receipts.

This matter is to be included in the "root and branch" review of MPs' allowances and expenses currently being undertaken under the chairmanship of Mr Martin and which is due to report back before summer.

Last night, Matther Elliott of the TaxPayers' Alliance said of the "John Lewis list" disclosure: "No wonder the government wastes so much money, if MPs don't have to stick to a tight budget themselves."

David Winnick, the Labour back bencher, urged the Speaker's review to include the "John Lewis list", noting how some items looked "rather expensive". He said: "The public need to be absolutely reassured MPs are not exploiting the situation."

Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat MP who has campaigned for greater openness, noted: "It's difficult to say why £750 should be paid for a television set. I think I spent about £50 on mine." He also pointed out how the Commons authorities had chosen the "least damaging time" to release the information - just as most MPs had left Westminster for their constituencies.