Lord George Foulkes, elected to the Scottish Parliament last May, has courted controversy by arguing MSPs deserve bigger support budgets.

The Lothian MSP has told the inquiry into expenses that the workload of his colleagues who represent constituencies and large regional areas means they should have more funding for better-paid staff.

A similar case has been made by Alasdair Allan, the new SNP MSP for Western Isles and a former Holyrood researcher, who argues the parliament should buy "suitable flats" in the capital. He also wants to be allowed to open more than one office in his constituency.

Lord Foulkes, a former MP who also sits in the Lords, claims MSPs at Holyrood are harder-working than their Westminster counterparts and backed the current funding system that lets them claim for homes in Edinburgh. "I have almost 30 years parliamentary experience behind me," he added. "I have come to quickly realise that the workload for MSPs, particularly those in constituencies, is greater than for Westminster members but the allowances are substantially less."

As a list MSP for Lothian, he would not benefit from the increase he suggests.

There was irritation among his former Westminster colleagues over his comments and Scottish Labour was quick to emphasise that he was talking personally and not for the party. He also irked his Labour colleagues last week with the tone of an attack on the SNP suggesting nationalist rhetoric would encourage attacks on English people. Lord Foulkes went on to back the controversial system for paying mortgages on Edinburgh flats, which have later been sold with substantial profits. Attacks on that have been "misguided and mischievous and should be ignored", he argued.

Tommy Sheridan, the former Socialist MSP who has campaigned against the Edinburgh allowance said: "No-one will be surprised that George Foulkes, who has made himself rich at the public expense as an MP, a minister, a Lord and now an MSP, is in favour of continuing a system which has made MSPs rich."

A former Royal Air Force squadron leader has suggested an empty barracks near Edinburgh Airport, created when the RAF was stationed there, could be used to provide accommodation for MSPs.

Dave Smart has written to the inquiry saying the block could be made into flats for the politicians. "There are ex-MOD accommodation blocks at Turnhouse sitting unused that could easily be converted into one-bedroomed self- contained flats," he stated in a submission. These could be used by MSPs who require overnight accommodation in Edinburgh - there is a good bus service."

Scottish Parliament chiefs last year ordered a report into MSPs allowances. The controversy was strongest around the profits being made by MSPs who bought second homes in the capital, had parliament pay the mortgage, and then sold them at large profits.