 Eric Joyce had previously blamed high expenses on travel costs |
Eric Joyce, the Falkirk MP who notched up Westminster's highest expenses and allowances, spent �30,000 on air fares, it has been revealed. The figures, which the House of Commons authorities have been battling to keep private, are now to be released.
However, Mr Joyce said that following publication of his expenses last year, he had now halved his travel claims.
Orkney and Shetland Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael, who spent �34,000, had the highest air travel expenses.
He defended the claim, saying travel to the islands was expensive.
'Public exposure'
The Commons authorities were ordered to publish MPs' detailed travel expense claims by the Information Tribunal after losing an appeal.
It means that for the first time the details of how much MPs - who have a salary of �60,277 - spent on train, plane, taxi, and car journeys will now be known.
Mr Joyce claimed a total of �174,811 last year, which he largely put down to travelling between London and his constituency.
The Labour MP said that following "public exposure" of his claims, he looked again at the bill, adding that it was possible to represent his constituents at a lower cost.
"When the details are exposed to me and to the public, then you have to sit back and say, 'is that something that is feasible' and my own view was that it probably wasn't," he said.
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