The 10 most expensive MPs revealed

10:40 31 March 2009

Eric Joyce, the Labour MP for Falkirk, has emerged as Britain's most expensive member of parliament. Joyce claimed 187,334 in allowances and expenses in 2007-8.

As well as placing top of the list in 2006, he also claimed 40,637 in travel expenses, including 21,459 in air fares - the second highest travel bill for any MP, despite pledging to cut down in previous years.

The remainder of his claim was made up of a second home allowance, office running costs and salaries for his staff according to the latest release of Westminster allowance figures.

Joyce had slashed 10,000 from his overall bill between 2006 and 2007, but the new figures show his spending has crept back up.

Meanwhile the total amount claimed by MPs was 93m - up by 5m. Downing Street announced a pay freeze for UK government ministers, however MPs' pay is to rise by 2.3%.

The 10 MPs with the highest claims were:

1. Eric Joyce
   (Lab, Falkirk)
   187,334
2. Michael Connarty
   (Lab, Linlithgow & Falkirk East)
   183,466
3. Alistair Carmichael
   (Lib Dem, Orkney & Shetland)
   176,190
4. Ben Wallace
   (Con, Lancaster & Wyre)
   175,523
5. Mohammad Sarwar
   (Lab, Glasgow Central)
   174,882
6. Charles Kennedy
   (Lib Dem, Ross, Skye & Inverness West)
   174,232
7. Janet Anderson
   (Lab, Rossendale & Darwen)
   173,556
8. David Borrow
   (Lab, South Ribble)
   172,706
9. Jim McGovern
   (Lab, Dundee West)
   171,989
10. Fabian Hamilton
    (Lab, North East Leeds)
    171,824