North and mid Essex MPs' expenses for the latest year revealed

Figures from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority show MP's total business costs for the 2019-20 financial year.

The average for members of parliament elected before December 2019 was £188,295.

New MPs are likely to have claimed less as they did not have existing costs such as staff to cover from the start of the new Parliament.

Braintree MP James Cleverly claimed the most of MPs across north and mid Essex with a total of £190,000.

To give a sense of comparison Speaker Lindsay Hoyle cost £259,057 over the same time, and Philip Hollobone, Conservative MP for Kettering, just £78,960.

The total cost of MPs last year rose by 7% to £127.6 million – including £5.58 million on travel and subsistence claims, and at least £718,700 on hotel claims – though 2019-20 does include more MPs as a result of new members following the election.

MPs' costs are usually broken down into dozens of categories, with staff pay almost always the largest expense.

Will Quince - Colchester

Will Quince. Picture: Nikki Powell

Will Quince cost taxpayers around £157,000 in the last financial year.

The Conservative MP's total business costs for the 2019-20 financial year were £157,122.23.

Mr Quince spent £147,943.28 on office running costs including £128,488.16 on staff wages and £19,455.12 on other office expenditures.

The Colchester MP spent all of his accommodation budget (of £4,782.95), and a further £4,396.00 on travel and subsistence.

Will Quince's five most expensive types of costs were:

1. Payroll – costing £125,355.16
2. Stationery and printing – £8,840.87
3. Rent – £5,958.37
4. Hotels in London – £4,957.95
5. Pooled staffing services – £3,133.00

Giles Watling - Clacton

Official portrait of Clacton MP Giles Watling. Credit: UK Parliament

Giles Watling cost the taxpayer around £152,000 in the last financial year.

Tory MP Giles Watling spent £133,494.82 on office running costs in 2019-20, including £126,277.45 on staff wages and £7,217.37 on other office expenditures.

The Clacton MP spent all of his accommodation budget (of £11,440.75), and a further £7,460.20 on travel and subsistence.

Giles Watling's five most expensive types of costs were:

1. Payroll – costing £98,010.45
2. Bought-in services – £25,165.00
3. Hotels in London – £12,171.50
4. Car mileage – £4,308.76
5. Pooled staffing services – £3,142.00

Priti Patel - Witham

Priti Patel

Home Secretary Priti Patel cost the taxpayer around £176,000 in the last financial year.

Figures from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority show the Conservative MP's total business costs for the 2019-20 financial year were £175,840.71.

She spent £155,555.66 on office running costs in 2019-20, including £148,238.45 on staff wages and £7,317.21 on other office expenditures.

The Witham MP spent £13,288.91 of her accommodation budget (of £17,064.8), and a further £6,996.14 on travel and subsistence.

Priti Patel's five most expensive types of costs were:

1. Payroll – costing £148,238.45
2. Rent – £15,166.69
3. Hotels outside of London – £5,124.00
4. Stationery and printing – £3,767.90
5. Website hosting and design – £2,646.00

Bernard Jenkin - Harwich and North Essex

General Election count 2019 Bernard Jenkin

Bernard Jenkin cost the taxpayer around £170,000 in the last financial year.

The veteran Conservative MP's total business costs for the 2019-20 financial year were £170,151.78.

Sir Bernard spent £160,388.70 on office running costs in 2019-20, including £152,901.76 on staff wages and £7,486.94 on other office expenditures.

The Harwich and North Essex MP spent £6,812.33 of his accommodation budget (of £22,920), and a further £2,950.75 on travel and subsistence.

Bernard Jenkin's five most expensive types of costs were:

1. Payroll – costing £152,901.76
2. Rent – £7,640.00
3. Pooled staffing services – £3,133.00
4. Car mileage – £1,830.72
5. Buying equipment – £1,287.18

James Cleverly - Braintree

James Cleverly

James Cleverly cost the taxpayer around £190,000 in the last financial year.

The Conservative MP's total business costs for the 2019-20 financial year were £190,316.05.

Mr Cleverly spent £173,850.90 on office running costs in 2019-20, including £159,390.76 on staff wages and £14,460.14 on other office expenditures.

The Braintree MP spent £16,465.15 of his accommodation budget (of £26,880), but nothing on travel and subsistence.

James Cleverly's five most expensive types of costs were:

1. Payroll – costing £159,390.76
2. Rent – £13,200.00
3. Bought-in services – £6,500.00
4. Pooled staffing services – £3,142.00
5. Stationery and printing – £1,933.64

John Whittingdale - Maldon

John Whittingdale

John Whittingdale cost the taxpayer around £185,000 last financial year.

The Maldon MP's costs were below the average for other members of parliament elected before December 2019, of £188,295.

Mr Whittingdale spent all of his accommodation budget (of £22,920), and a further £2,844.93 on travel and subsistence.

John Whittingdale's five most expensive types of costs were:

1. Payroll – costing £143,250.37
2. Rent – £25,330.00
3. Stationery and printing – £3,542.52
4. Pooled staffing services – £3,142.00
5. Advertising and contact cards – £1,822.80