THE Gazette region's MPs claimed more than £800,000 in expenses and allowances last year, official records have revealed.

Our six politicians claimed an average of £136,000 each for work-related expenses.

The figures are released by Parliament each year. They detail how much MPs claim for things such as travel, office running costs and staying in London.

Bob Russell (Colchester), Bernard Jenkin (North Essex), Douglas Carswell (Harwich), Brooks Newmark (Braintree) and Tim Yeo (South Suffolk) all claimed between £136,000 and £149,000.

Halstead MP Sir Alan Haselhurst claimed just £112,401.

MP Nick Harvey, of the Members Estimate Committee, said: "To repeat a comment I made last year, compared to parliamentarians in other countries, this represents excellent value for money."