COLCHESTER MP Will Quince has spent the least amount of money of all north Essex MPs in the last financial year.

Each MP’s business costs and expense claims are published by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority in a bid to encourage transparency.

Conservative Mr Quince, who was elected after overturning veteran Sir Bob Russell (Lib Dem) spent a total of £104,650 since May last year.

That includes £87,745 in staffing costs, £5,000 in start-up costs and £2,637 on stationary.

After losing his seat in the General Election, Sir Bob claimed a total of£113,739, which is vastly made up of winding-up costs, which includes staff redundancy costs.

In 2014/15, Sir Bob claimed £160,319.46.

In the previous year, he claimed £165,455.

Clacton MP Douglas Carswell (Ukip) had the highest claims, with £176.325.85, including £135,551 on staff.

Witham MP Priti Patel (Con), whose constituency takes in Stanway, spent £134,078.34, including £118,889.99 on staff while Maldon MP and former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale (Con) spent £133,409.80.

That figure includes £102,500 on staff.

Harwich and North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin (Con) spent £142,080, including £131,401.31 on staffing, while Braintree’s new MP James Cleverly (Con) spent £142,539.

Mr Quince puts the low figure down to “dear friends” who allow him to stay for free in a room in their house in north London.

He added: “Straight out, that gives me a saving of at least £20,000 compared to what a lot of MPs outside London of have to spend.”

Mr Quince stays in the basement room about three-days-a-week or when Parliament has a late vote.

In the last year, he has claimed £1,721 in travel expenses.

The MP, who employs two full-time staff in Westminster and three part-time staff in Colchester, added: “I don’t want to come across as a saint as I believe my costs are a little bit lower because it took me a little bit longer to hire staff.

“I don’t tend to put in claims for small amounts of, for example, mileage.

“I think different people work in different ways but to me, the time it takes to put in the paper work for that kind of claim, I would prefer the time rather than the money.”

He added: “Other MPs do do that and they are perfectly entitled to and to be honest, I won’t blame them.

“Part of doing this job, I think, is being flexible and thankfully my living arrangement allows me to do that.

“That could change and next year, the costs and claims could be much higher, but at the moment, it’s working for me.”