A solution to MPs expenses

This solution was suggested by "rfs" on Guido Fawkes's blog this morning. I believe rfs's blog is this one and if so I recommend you have a read through it, there are some interesting articles there...

That said, here's rfs's solution:

"Simple solution:

All MP staff are centrally funded. Each MP has an office in Portcullis House and only the one office - a second one in the constituency simply serves to allow family to "work" for them while staying at home. Each office is capable of doing everything the MP requires and will be upgraded/downgraded as their governmental responsibilities are changed.

MPs are to be accommodated in a block of flats in Central London. Bedsit type and identical with only Downing Street residents getting separate accommodation. Each party has its own floors and wireless connection - each MP is issued a £300 Dell laptop from stock with Word and email. Each flat contains a TV that will only get Freeview and a telephone that will only do national calls. It will be en-suite and have a double bed, a cooker & hob combo, a small fridgefreezer and a safe. Laundry and housekeeping will be centrally provided.

The flats will have a communal eating facility and each MP will have messing charges deducted at source each month. Every morning that the commons sits there will be a shuttle bus to take the fatter ones to the chamber or to their office in PH. They will be expected to be in their offices for 9am Mon-Fri and not leave until 4pm with the exceptions being where they have booked time to go to constituency or official business, a diary manager would co-ordinate this and an officer of the Speaker would take attendance with figures being published quarterly.

At the beginning and end of each parliament the residents will be marched out and an audit taken with missing items being paid for. A march in at the start of the next parliament will also be carried out.

Why would this be so hard to implement? ;)"

I have blogged before about the proposal that MPs should live in blocks of flats and I was a little sceptical but I hadn't considered the transport to work wrinkle and the clocking in and out idea. I also was unaware of the lengths some MPs were going to in order to work the expenses system, I now think that this sort of scheme could work BUT the accommodation should be comfortable NOT luxurious.