CORNWALL'S MPs WELCOME EXPENSES ANNOUNCEMENT

1.20.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 21st May 2009

Cornwall's Lib Dem MPs have welcomed this week's announcement on expenses reform that will put the emphasis on transparency and accountability.

The measures, which will stand until the independent review of allowances makes its comprehensive recommendations in the autumn, are designed to "tighten up" the allowances system and include publishing all claims online every 3 months.

The Liberal Democrats have long argued that the expenses system needs to change and have fought against attempts by some Labour and Conservative MPs to exempt MPs' expenses from freedom of information laws.

The Lib Dem MPs are also committed to accepting the independent committee's recommendations without exception when they report back with the final package of reforms.

Commenting, Julia said:

"Since I was first elected, I have been arguing that the expenses system needs to change. I firmly believe in total transparency of government and a major part of this is MPs being upfront and honest about what they claim.

"That is why I have published in full, and in detail, every claim I have made since my election in 2005, and I will publish all future claims on my website - as I submit them.

"It is only by being completely open about the claims MPs make in order to do our jobs properly that we will begin to restore confidence in our democracy."

Andrew George, MP for St Ives, added:

"Any MP whose family has been put through the unfair treatment and innuendo based stories which I have had to suffer this week will understand that Parliament has left these reforms far too late.

"As well as these welcome proposals we should cut the number of MPs and get MPs out of the profit making property market."