�2k sofa and TVs among AM claims

A panel is to review AMs future pay and expenses

Welsh assembly members' expenses claims included a £2,000 sofa, a £1,000 surround-sound TV, right down to a £2 glass bowl, it has been revealed.

Eight AMs claimed the maximum possible amount of £12,500 for second home expenses in the last financial year.

The total claimed by AMs for staying away from home, including mortgage interest payments, is around £400,000.

The Taxpayers' Alliance said everyone could now hold their AM "to account for excessive expense claims".

The detailed expenses breakdowns were released to BBC Wales in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

Most of the 60 AMs are allowed to claim costs for second homes because their main residence is deemed to be sufficiently far enough away from Cardiff Bay to justify it.

The eight maximum claimants for 2007/2008 include Presiding Officer Dafydd Elis-Thomas.

Two more claimed within a few pence of £12,500.

One of the highest claimants, Welsh Liberal Democrat leader, Mike German, has his main home in Cwmbran, 17 miles from Cardiff Bay.

Labour's Lesley Griffiths spent £2,000 on a sofa, whilst Conservative Nick Ramsey spent £1,000 on a surround-sound TV system and more than £2,000 on two beds.

The list revealed expenses claimed by politicians of all parties

Another Labour AM Lynne Neagle, has claimed £400 for curtains and £317.57 for book shelves as well as £2 for a Pyrex bowl and £4 for a salt and pepper set.

In April, BBC Wales submitted a FOI request to the Assembly Commission, asking for a full and detailed breakdown "to receipt level" of all allowances claimed by assembly members during the last financial year.

According to the assembly's own rules, AMs are generally permitted to claim additional costs allowances, to cover expenses incurred by staying away from their main home while performing their duties as a member.

This can be in a hotel, or paying rent on a property, or by paying interest payments on a second home in Cardiff.

There are two different amounts available to assembly members, depending on the location of their main home.

Maximum amount

Constituency or regional members who live in Caerphilly, Cardiff Central, Cardiff North, Cardiff South and Penarth, Cardiff West, Newport East, Newport West, Pontypridd or the Vale of Glamorgan could claim up to £3,900 in 2007/8 to cover the cost of "any overnight stay away from home."

Members who live beyond these boundaries qualify for a "higher level" of payments from the additional costs allowance - worth up to £12,500 in 2007/8.

This can be claimed to cover any overnight stay away from home, including mortgage interest payments, rent and items of furniture for a second home in Cardiff.

PARTY-BY-PARTY CLAIMS Conservative AMs: Total claimed: £93,730. Average claimed: £7,810 Labour AMs: Total claimed: £121,977. Average claim: £4,691 Lib Dems AMs: Total claimed: £55,321. Average claim: £9,220 Plaid Cymru AMs: Total claim: £129,936. Average claim: £8,662 Source: Assembly Commission figures for 2007-2008

Any members who claim mortgage interest payments on a second home must submit a statement of interest paid at least once every 12 months, so that any adjustments in interest rates can be accounted for.

In 2006/7, eight AMs claimed every available penny of the additional costs allowance, which at that time was worth £12,000.

In the same year, another 17 AMs claimed more than 90% of the allowance, with a number falling just a few pounds short of the permitted maximum amount.

Ten assembly members didn't claim any of their additional costs allowance in 2006/7 - most of whom were either members of the cabinet, or lived in or near Cardiff.

Earlier this year, assembly members voted to increase the level of the allowance to £4,100 for "inner area members" and £13,000 for those who live further afield.

A panel is to review AMs' future pay and expenses following criticism of an 8.3% pay rise announced in March.

The panel will be chaired by Sir Roger Jones, the pro-chancellor of Swansea University.

It was established following a proposal from the independent pay review body, which recommended the pay rise.

Corin Taylor, a spokesman for campaign group, the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "It's good news for taxpayers that these full expense details are being published for the first time.

"Now every taxpayer in Wales can hold their assembly member to account for excessive expense claims.

"With ordinary families struggling to make ends meet, it is quite wrong that some politicians have been buying expensive TVs and sofas for their second homes and making the rest of us foot the bill."

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