There should be an independent investigation into allegations that MLAs have misused public money, claimed to rent constituency offices, according to Conservative Party spokesman, Mark Brotherston. A BBC documentary alleged that Sinn Féin has been paying non-existent cultural ‘societies’ for office accommodation, out of Assembly allowances.
“It’s clear that many of the Stormont parties are determined to milk the expenses system for every penny of taxpayers’ money they can get”, Mark commented. “The Spotlight programme has revealed that Sinn Féin and the DUP, in particular, have serious questions to answer about office accommodation. The mealy-mouthed, evasive responses that they’ve given so far will hardly fill the public with confidence that its money has been used properly.”
“This issue needs to be probed independently. You only need to look at the disgraceful antics of Sammy Wilson and Gregory Campbell, when a DUP special adviser appeared before the Social Development Committee, to see that parties can derail any investigation going through the committee system. At a time when front-line services are being cut, it’s disgraceful that Stormont parties are treating the expenses system like a milch cow. An investigation needs to establish whether wrong-doing has taken place and, whether any rules have been broken or not, the system needs to be tightened up, because MLAs clearly can’t be trusted to use it responsibly.”