Should MPs get paid a daily allowance for turning up?

[rov1200]

It has been suggested that the taxpayer would get more value for money from MPs if they were paid to attend the commons in place of expense claims and 2nd homes.
The salary of an MP is approx �66,000 and currently exceeds �100,000 with add-ons.

Would it be fairer to scrap the current payments and get paid a daily allowance? There is talk of only registering and then leaving to do work elsewhere. But they currently use a swipe card and this could record attendance, arrival and departure.

Many MPs currently spend very little time in the commons and shirkers could be easily shown.

Do you agree with the daily allowance?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8015500 .stm

[glenbar]

Why on earth should they be paid for turning up for work?

[jno]

Exactly, glenbar. I am already paying them to work.

I don't mind second home allowances in principle; not everyone has a constituency in London, and it would be wrong to limit MPs to those who can afford second homeson their own. But the system needs a lot more transparency and fewer spouses charging porn movies to the taxpayer.

[madmaggot]

I used to get a daily allowance for turning up at work

they called it

my salary!

[pinktwink]

absolutly they should get docked money for failing to attend daily sessions. When I was in college our grant was attendance based.

[jno]

excellent idea, pinktwink.

[Ice.Maiden]

I agree pink. The whole lot, who take as much money from the tax payers as possible - are corrupt.

[pinktwink]

hi Ice :=)

I think their salary should be performance related that would ensure better management of public services and finances

[Ice.Maiden]

Yes, that'd be a start.

[jno]

you mean like humungous pay and bonuses ensured that our banks were well run? Hmm...

[pinktwink]

no more that any wastage or service inefficiency would incur a reduction in pay

[jno]

heaven knows how you'd measure that. Anyway, most MPs aren't ministers and don't manage anything, they just shuffle round between the House of Commons, maybe work on some committee, and their constiuency. Many are in fact honest and hardworking - the number who have dodgy expenses isn't all that large.

[rov1200]

As the idea is to save money surely its better to make sure even if they don't contribute in debates they turn up. An MP on TV the other day admitted he only attended 3 days a week. MPs seem under the impression they are entitled to a fixed salary of �66,000 plus any bunce on top. With the payment by attendance 3 days would not reach �66,000 so a saving. But asking them to vote on a suicidal scheme is plain bonkers, it needs to be set elsewhere.

[Ethel]

Don't forget that most of an MPs work is done in the constituency, not in Westminster.
If they are going to be sat on their backsides in Parliament 5 days a week when are they going to do the real work, with the people they represent?

My MP is very active in the locality, and would not be able to do his job properly if he was spending all his time in London.

[rov1200]

So they tell you Ethel. If they were that busy how do they manage to fit in private work. No they should work to the same rules as those that put them there. The only MPs who work full time are the cabinet ministers as they have to continually justify what they are doing and are therefore under scrutiny.

[Ethel]

rov1200 - it's no what he tells me, it's what I see with my own eyes.

[gina32]

i had to go and see my local mp last year, i went to his offices and i was disgusted at the state of them, cobwebs all over the ceilings, carpet was filthy with dust the windows were so dirty it was hard to see out and the paint was coming of the walls, when i asked why the place was such a state he said he didnt have the money to pay someone to do it, i did suggest he do it himself but he wasnt impressed with it, so what does he do with all the extras he gets???

[vulcan]

what we need is a swipe card that not only tells us when they turn up but record if they do anything when they are there.

[rov1200]

Maybe there's no need for them to be there in the first place and is outside the remit. As mentioned elsewhere the number of MPs could be reduced to 400 as Scotland and Wales have their own assemblies.

Does anyone really know what their MP gets up to outside the Commons? My MP occasionally gets a mention in the local rag.

[cassa333]

No MP NNEDS a second home. They could all have a grace and favour apartment. Or why not a hotel that they all use? If they had thought it through they could have used the building across the road that they turned into hotels and restaurants.

When second homes are sold either all the profit or a % in proportion to the our payment should be clawed back.

Anyway why does my DH pay so much tax on his company car when the PMs get so much tax free?