what you recon on this m.p. Heating fuel expence paymeants.

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MPs have come under attack for claiming £200,000 of taxpayers' money to cover the cost of their energy bills.
Some 340 MPs, including ministers, have used the parliamentary expenses system to recoup the cost of heating their second homes, according to the Sunday Mirror.
Bills costing more than £1,000 were submitted by 41 MPs while 78 made claims for £500 in the 12 months up to March this year, its analysis found.
The claims do not break any parliamentary rules but come at a time of heightened tensions over the spiralling cost of gas and electricity.
Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi, a founder of market research firm YouGov, claimed the most with a bill totalling £5,822.27 to cover electricity and heating oil for his estate in Warwickshire.
Alan Duncan, the international development minister, claimed £2,750 for electricity bills

　

and £1,250 in heating oil for his home in Rutland, Leicestershire, while universities minister David Willetts claimed £2,596.

Labour MP John Mann, who did not claim for his energy bills, told the Sunday Mirror: "Perhaps the MPs who have submitted the claims should start wearing thicker jumpers.

"There will be people including pensioners who can't afford to heat their homes who will be furious to find out that MPs who can afford to pay them are putting in such high claims.

"Government ministers are attacking Ed Miliband for proposing to freeze prices but they don't have to worry about the cost because they can put the claims in."

An analysis by energy industry regulator Ofgem earlier this week showed that, while the increases announced so far this autumn by four of the big six firms have averaged 9.1%, wholesale prices have risen by 1.7% – adding just £10 to the average household bill of £600.

Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, told the newspaper: "It's disgraceful that well-paid MPs should claim expenses for heating costs

　

at the same time that thousands of families are struggling to pay to turn the oven on to cook dinner for their families.

"These are the same hypocritical MPs who have failed to get a grip on soaring fuel and energy costs, rising food bills and pay freezes."

and it's the lower paid workers and single parent workers too.

Atos who do the assessments of claimaints to see if the claimants can work are paid £100million a year, Atos is also a French company....that money could be put to good use in our country.

There are genuine stories of ppl who are terminally ill being declared fit to work and have died a few weeks later, stories of ppl who are disabled or mentally ill being declared as fit for work and have committed suicide.

There are horrific stories out there and I too can see Nazi flags on the horizon sadly.

Sadly I think we'd agree that a lot of people are like sheep in that they [email=can'@T/won't]can't/won't[/email] see the bigger picture - until its too late.

Its like "I'm alright Jack".  Watch the news and this government is doing so well with for e.g unemployment figures - but when an unemployed person is sent on a course or working for just their JSA - they are OFF the unemployment register.

I believe that soon all "council" low paid jobs will be undertaken by those on JSA - for just their JSA - and the OAP will be means tested.

Most of us are struggling to live on credit cards/robbing peter to pay paul - and that includes WORKING people.

Anyone in work is one payday away from ruin.

and for all the zillions spent on catching the fraudulent claims - I'l bet a Jaffa cake - fraud is STILL rife - well someone must pay for this - so let's take it off "welfare" - and welfare includes health and our police force - welfare means being safe and well and not afraid of where the next penny comes from - nor being in fear at home or outside the home.

and talking about fraud - what about those who run our country - just what did our forefathers die for in two world wars.

What this country needs is another Clem Attlee, I don't remember him as he was Prime Minister before I was born, but from what I've read about him, he was honest and fair and got this country on it's feet a few years after WW2 had ended.
He was a Prime Minister who kept his promises....