South Down MLAs blame big expenses on rural constituency

South Down MLAs blame big expenses on rural constituency

TWO South Down Assemblymen have stoutly defended their expenses claims after it emerged they were in the top ten of highest MLA claims.

In fifth place was the DUP’s Jim Wells with a claim of £81,773 and in eighth place was the UUP’s John McCallister with a claim of £80,374.

The figures cover office costs, travel and other expenses between April 2011 and March 2012. The SDLP’s Pat Ramsey topped the poll of 108 MLAs with a claim of £92,718.

Mr. McCallister said he did not personally benefit from the expenses, which related to staff and office expenses.

“It is a big rural constituency, which means it is always slightly higher,” he said. “We are busy representing constituents.

As the only Ulster Unionist MLA in South Down, Mr. McCallister said he was also unable to rely on party colleagues to attend events on his behalf.

“Jim and I clock up a lot of miles travelling about, without other party colleagues to assist,” he said.

He also pointed out that the Stormont expenses system was highly regulated.

“It is probably a system Westminster should be using,” Mr. McCallister added.

Mr. Wells said he agreed with Mr. McCallister about the difficulties of being the single representative of a party in a rural constituency.

“Whilst I can’t be sure about this it may be the case that both John’s and my expenses are higher than the average MLA because we represent Northern Ireland on the British/Irish Parliamentary Association,” he said.

“This involves several trips a year to other parts of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.”