West Dorset's Chris Loder the most expensive newly-elected MP

Chris Loder has claimed higher business costs and expenses than any other new MP, new figures reveal, costing the taxpayer around £71,000.

Figures from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority show the Conservative MP's total business costs for the 2019-20 financial year were £70,565.47.

The West Dorset MP's costs were one of the highest of all 156 new members of parliament elected in December 2019, and well above the average of £40,869 for the new intake of members.

By comparison, Kim Johnson, Labour MP for Liverpool, Riverside, who also joined the House of Commons in the most recent election, has cost just £7,391.

For those elected before December 2019, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has cost the most (£259,057) and Philip Hollobone, Conservative MP for Kettering, the least (£78,960).

Tory MP Chris Loder spent £60,871.16 on office running costs in 2019-20, including £51,704.97 on staff wages and £9,166.19 on other office expenditures.

The West Dorset MP spent all of his accommodation budget (of £5,250.7), and a further £4,443.61 on travel and subsistence.

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.

Statement to Greatest Hits Radio Dorset

Chris Loder said:

"The costs of running an MP’s office are primarily for staff and office costs in running two bases; one in the constituency and one in Westminster.

"I welcome the scrutiny of these costs, as it will show a £15.5k underspend against the budget for this period to the end of March 2020 whilst setting up a completely new office from scratch."

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:

"While MPs must have the resources to do their jobs, many taxpayers will be worried about the growing cost of politics.

“The electorate expects politicians to stay grounded and keep costs under control, particularly the millions spent on travel and overnight expenses.

“With the economy and public finances in such dire straits, limiting their expenses claims where possible would be a welcome way for MPs to show that we’re all in it together.”

The IPSA figures also reveal the individual claims made by Chris Loder in 2019-20.

The most expensive single claim, outside of annual staff pay, was £1,234.52 for buying equipment. Further details provided said this was for "computer, laptop, PC, tablet and accessories".

At the other end of the scale, the smallest one-off expense he claimed was £0.59 for car mileage.

The IPSA said the preparations for a General Election and the pandemic had had a significant impact on their work during the 2019-20 financial year, and on Parliament.

Interim chair Richard Lloyd added:

“In March we moved to full working from home for all our staff, and put in place a package of practical support for MPs and their staff to help them continue to serve their constituents during the Covid crisis.

"Every month over 4,000 MPs and staff have their salaries paid and business costs reimbursed, within the rules set independently by IPSA. It’s good for confidence in our system that compliance with the rules is very high, at 99.97%.

“Through IPSA, taxpayers can be assured that public money has been spent appropriately by Members of Parliament, and that we have helped them to serve their constituents during the most difficult of times.”

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

Chris Loder's five most expensive types of costs were:

1) Payroll – costing £52,607.97

2) Hotels in London – £5,335.00

3) Buying equipment – £2,004.02

4) Rail travel – £1,769.35

5) Stationery and printing – £1,160.08

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