Dundee MP Jim McGovern has called on the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) to publicly account for the £27,000 legal fee it incurred when the MP took them to tribunal.
Mr McGovern brought legal action against Ipsa after it refused to reimburse him for a £23.90 train fare from Dundee to Glasgow to attend a Labour party meeting before he flew on to London from Glasgow on Westminster business.
Ipsa rejected the Dundee to Glasgow fare on the grounds it was party political business and Mr McGovern eventually brought the group to tribunal to appeal its decision.
Although Mr McGovern lost the case, Ipsa’s £27,000 legal fees will have to be met by the taxpayer. Writing on his blog, the Dundee West MP said he did “regret” the cost.
He said: “It is extraordinary that honest disputes between Ipsa and members of Parliament can only be settled at such great expense. The cost to the taxpayer was not the result of my own legal expenses as I was supported by my trade union, the GMB.”
He said Ipsa must now answer questions on why their legal fees were so high for a two-hour hearing.
“This was a simple case, where all the facts were agreed, no witnesses were called and Ipsa conceded part of my appeal,” he said.
“I believe this raises questions about whether Ipsa’s costs represent good value for public money. It is extraordinary that Ipsa have managed to incur costs of £27,000. That is a staggering sum for which Ipsa must publicly account.”
Mr McGovern added it was strange MPs were unable to challenge an Ipsa decision without incurring such costs to the taxpayer.
He said he had followed the proper and correct legal channels for settling a dispute but would have preferred to settle the disagreement without such expense.
Ipsa has now changed its rules to allow for diversions in MPs’ journeys to Westminster, a change Mr McGovern said vindicates his decision to appeal.
An Ipsa spokesman last night said the parliamentary watchdog “could not have been more transparent” over its legal bill.