Here lies madness

The independent body that oversees MPs’ expenses cost the taxpayer £6.6 million before it had even begun processing claims, it emerged today.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) has even hired a public relations company — Apex Communications — to handle its media image.

The three main political parties approved the increased cost earlier this month.
In a statement issued today Ipsa said that the estimated cost of setting up in 2009/10 is £6.6 million. This is to pay the “one-off costs of establishing a new, independent public body of this sort, such as the acquisition of accommodation and IT systems”.

This means that in its first year the authority will cost about six times the amount MPs have been ordered to repay.

It will have a staff of around 80, including the chair Sir Ian Kennedy, whose salary is £700 a day for three days a week during the start-up period.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7023049.ece

It cost us to investigate politicians ripping us off. I could save them a bit of cash, i’ll go in for one day a week that’ll save them £1400 a week