Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

Anne McGuire Excerpts
Wednesday 16th June 2010

(13 years, 11 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Mark Harper Portrait Mr Harper
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If my hon. Friend will let me get to the end of my list, he may hear some positive news. To pick up that point, IPSA has also said that in its review of the scheme, it will consider a direct payment system. It is therefore incumbent on Members—[Interruption.] I am sure that IPSA will have listened to the advice from my hon. Friend and the hon. Member for Colchester (Bob Russell) about a credit card system. There are alternatives, but I think IPSA recognises that a direct payment system for office costs is a sensible venture, and it will consider that system during its review in the autumn.

Anne McGuire Portrait Mrs Anne McGuire (Stirling) (Lab)
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Will the Minister give way?

Mark Harper Portrait Mr Harper
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I will give way once more, but then I need to make some progress.

Anne McGuire Portrait Mrs McGuire
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Does the Minister have any idea how much it has cost to reinvent the wheel on direct payment of office costs? Many of us already had such a system in place under the previous Administration and did not handle any cash in our offices.