MPs' Employing Connected Parties

Yet again I find myself producing more tables of data (perhaps I should write an article about incorporating tables in blogs, it may even get more readers)!  Anyway this time the information relates to MPs’ employing connected parties.  IPSA define this as follows:-

Connected parties

Staffing Expenditure can only be claimed for the salary of one employee who is a connected party at a time, unless you employed more than one connected party on 7 May 2010. In that case you may continue to employ these connected parties until their employment ceases.

We define a "connected party" as:

• a spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner of the member;
• parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece of the member or of a spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner of the member; or
• a body corporate, a firm or a trust with which the MP is connected as defined in section 252 of the Companies Act 2006.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, MPs’ receive a staffing budget of up to £144,000 for London area MPs, or, £137,200 for non London area MPs.  This enables them to hire staff to help the MP in fulfilling their parliamentary duties.  The rules allow a connected party to be employed, and, paid from this budget as long as it is declared in the Register of Members' Financial Interests, which is available on the internet, and, published periodically.

The data I have published has been collated from two sources.  The first is the MPs’ annual expenditure data for 2012/13 (latest available).  This details the total cost of the staffing payroll, along with the connected party name, salary band, and, job description.  The second data source is the Register of Members' Financial Interests dated 24th March, 2014.  This details the recent position of the connected party name, relationship, job description, and, whether full or part time. Please note the full job description for the job column is given in a key at the end of the connected party list.

	2012 / 13 Annual Expenses Data					Register of Members' Financial Interests - 24/03/14
MP	Actual Staffing Payroll (£)	Connected Party	Connected Party Salary Band	Job		Connected Party	Relationship	Job	Full / Part time
Adams, Nigel	100,289.84	Claire Adams	£15,000 - £19,999	OM
Ainsworth, Bob	106,134.71	Gloria Ainsworth	£10,000 - £14,999	PA		Gloria Ainsworth	Wife	CC	Part time
Aldous, Peter	122,308.22	Mark Bee	£5,000 - £9,999	SC
Amess, David	96,537.04	Julia Amess	£15,000 - £19,999	S/C		Julia Amess	Wife	S/C	Part time
Bailey, Adrian	102,858.53	Jill Bailey	£5,000 - £9,999	JS		Jill Bailey	Wife	J/DS	Part time
Barron, Kevin	135,249.32	Andree Deane	£10,000 - £14,999	PA		Andree Deane	Wife	PA	Part time
Beckett, Margaret	120,476.04	Lionel Beckett	£25,000 - £29,999	OM		Leo Beckett	Husband	OM
Bell, Stuart	54,287.70	Margaret M Bell	£35,000 - £39,999	OM
Bellingham, Henry	122,133.31	Emma Bellingham	£10,000 - £14,999	PA		Emma Bellingham	Wife	PA/R	Part time
Benn, Hilary	122,306.98	Sally Clark	£20,000 - £24,999	PA		Sally Clark	Wife	PA	Part time
Benton, Joe	105,604.67	Doris Benton	£20,000 - £24,999	SS		Doris Benton	Wife	SS
Beresford, Paul	97,950.00	Julie Beresford	£25,000 - £29,999	S		Julie Beresford	Wife	S	Part time
Betts, Clive	128,016.47	James Thomas	£30,000 - £34,999	SPA		James Thomas	Partner	PA
Blackman, Bob	140,366.28	Nicola Blackman	£30,000 - £34,999	OM		Nicola Blackman	Wife	OM
Bone, Peter	125,107.85	Jeanette Bone	£45,000 - £49,999	OM		Jeanette Bone	Wife	ES
Bradley, Karen	141,746.12	Neil Bradley	£40,000 - £44,999	SPA
Brady, Graham	124,745.32	Victoria Lowther	£40,000 - £44,999	SPA		Victoria Lowther	Wife	SR/PR
Brazier, Julian	96,794.96	Katharine Brazier	£15,000 - £19,999	SPA		Katharine Brazier	Wife	SPA	Part time
Brooke, Annette	98,393.67	Eleanor Perera	£1 - £4,999	JS		Eleanor Perera	Daughter	JS	Temp PT
Brown, Russell	112,529.98	Gillian Carey	£20,000 - £24,999	SS		Gillian Carey	Daughter	SS
Bruce, Malcolm	128,327.18	Rosemary Bruce	£30,000 - £34,999	OM		Rosemary Bruce	Wife	OM
Buckland, Robert	93,578.55	Sian Reed	£1 - £4,999	C
Burley, Aidan	126,850.88	Jodie Jones	£25,000 - £29,999	OM
Burrowes, David	123,360.52	Rebecca Chard	£35,000 - £39,999	SPA		Rebecca Chard	Niece	SPA
Burt, Alistair	116,713.47	Eve Burt	£35,000 - £39,999	OM		Eve Burt	Wife	OM
Byrne, Liam	134,200.05	Sarah Harnett	£5,000 - £9,999	OM		Sarah Harnett	Wife	OM	Part time
Campbell, Alan	73,330.44	Jayne Campbell	£1 - £4,999	JS
Campbell, Gregory	87,874.67	Frances Campbell	£15,000 - £19,999	S		Frances Campbell	Wife	S	Part time
Campbell, Menzies	112,005.15	Elspeth Campbell	£25,000 - £29,999	S		Elspeth Campbell	Wife	S
Campbell, Ronnie	85,743.60	Deirdre Campbell	£10,000 - £14,999	C		Deirdre Campbell	Wife	C	Part time
Carswell, Douglas						Clementine Carswell	Wife	DS	Part time
Cash, Bill	114,558.56	Bridget Cash	£25,000 - £29,999	PA		Bridget Cash	Wife	PA
Caton, Martin	95,939.88	Bethan Caton	£30,000 - £34,999	SPA		Bethan Caton	Wife	SPA
Chishti, Rehman	90,963.33	Nusrat Ahmed	£20,000 - £24,999	OM		Nusrat Ahmed	Sister	OM
Chope, Christopher	77,514.09	Christine Chope	£45,000 - £49,999	S		Christine Chope	Wife	S
Crabb, Stephen	103,370.37	Beatrice Crabb	£15,000 - £19,999	SS		Beatrice Crabb	Wife	ES	Part time
Crausby, David	104,467.56	Enid Crausby	£35,000 - £39,999	OM		Enid Crausby	Wife	OM
Cunningham, Alex	122,295.11	John Cunningham	£5,000 - £9,999	C		John Cunningham	Son	C	Part time
Danczuk, Simon	138,493.55	Karen Burke	£25,000 - £29,999	SS		Karen Burke	Partner	SS
Davidson, Ian	112,923.71	Morag MacKinnon	£30,000 - £34,999	OM		Morag MacKinnon	Wife	S/OM
Davies, David	93,196.38	Aliz Harnisfoger-Davies	£5,000 - £9,999	SS		Aliz Harnisfoger-Davies	Wife	SS	Part time
Davies, Glyn	104,943.31	Bobbie Davies	£15,000 - £19,999	SS
Davis, David	120,515.90	Doreen Davis	£30,000 - £34,999	S		Doreen Davis	Wife	COM
Dobbin, Jim	136,002.89	Mary Dobbin	£30,000 - £34,999	SPA		Patricia Dobbin	Wife	PA/OM
Donaldson, Jeffrey	121,085.64	Eleanor Donaldson	£20,000 - £24,999	SS		Eleanor Donaldson	Wife	SS	Part time
Donohoe, Brian	117,313.76	Christine Donohoe	£20,000 - £24,999	S		Christine Donohoe	Wife	S
Dorries, Nadine	125,677.61	Philippa Dorries	£40,000 - £44,999	OM
Dorries, Nadine		Jennifer Dorries	£30,000 - £34,999	SS		Jennifer Dorries	Daughter	SS
Dowd, Jim						David Humphreys	Partners Son	SPA	Casual
Doyle-Price, Jackie	113,649.80	Mark Coxshall	£15,000 - £19,999	OM		Mark Coxshall	Partner	OM
Duddridge, James						Kathryn Duddridge	Wife	SS	Part time
Dugher, Michael	148,073.20	Joanna Dugher	£30,000 - £34,999	OM		Joanna Dugher	Wife	OM/SS	Part time
Elliott, Julie	124,366.88	Miles Elliott	£20,000 - £24,999	PA		Miles Elliott	Son	PA
Evans, Graham	100,332.93	Cheryl Evans	£20,000 - £24,999	SS		Cheryl Evans	Wife	SS
Fallon, Michael	93,516.83	Wendy Fallon	£15,000 - £19,999	SC		Wendy Fallon	Son	CSC
Farrelly, Paul	132,588.09	Victoria Perry	£1 - £4,999	PA		Victoria Perry	Wife	PA	Part time
Flint, Caroline	115,785.19	Phil Cole	£35,000 - £39,999	SPA		Phil Cole	Husband	OM
Flynn, Paul	125,550.96	Lynne Flynn	£15,000 - £19,999	SS		Lynne Flynn	Wife	SS
Fovargue, Yvonne	132,103.20	Paul Kenny	£20,000 - £24,999	SPA		Paul Kenny	Husband	SPA	Part time
Francis, Hywel	108,221.73	Mair Francis	£40,000 - £44,999	SPA		Mair Francis	Wife	SPA
Gale, Roger	116,580.28	Susan G Gale	£35,000 - £39,999	OM		Suzy Gale	Wife	OM
Gardiner, Barry	150,073.78	Caroline Smith	£20,000 - £24,999	OM		Caroline Smith	Wife	IOM	Part time
Garnier, Mark	114,837.97	Caroline Garnier	£35,000 - £39,999	OM		Caroline Garnier	Spouse	OM
George, Andrew	117,385.64	Jill George	£1 - £4,999	JS
Gilbert, Stephen	134,500.04	Jacqueline Bull	£10,000 - £14,999	SC		Jackie Bull	Mother	SC	Part time
Gillan, Cheryl	120,135.48	John Leeming	£15,000 - £19,999	SPA		Jack Coates-Leeming	Husband	OM/R	Part time
Goodwill, Robert	113,800.62	Maureen Goodwill	£15,000 - £19,999	C		Maureen Goodwill	Wife	PA/C
Grant, Helen	110,509.82	Simon Grant	£5,000 - £9,999	SPA
Gray, James	132,821.47	Phillipa Gray	£30,000 - £34,999	DS		Phillipa Gray	Wife	EDS
Grayling, Chris	122,401.42	Susan Grayling	£35,000 - £39,999	SS		Susan Grayling	Wife	ES
Hamilton, David	79,173.70	Jean Hamilton	£25,000 - £29,999	OM		Jean Hamilton	Wife	OM
Hammond, Stephen	112,498.31	Sally Hammond	£40,000 - £44,999	SPA		Sally Hammond	Wife	OM/S
Harris, Tom	135,493.27	Carolyn Harris	£30,000 - £34,999	OM		Carolyn Harris	Wife	OM
Hart, Simon	107,862.51	Abigail Hart	£20,000 - £24,999	OM		Abigail Hart	Wife	OM	Part time
Haselhurst, Alan	81,161.90	Angela Haselhurst	£40,000 - £44,999	OM		Lady Haselhurst	Wife	OM
Hayes, John						Susan Hayes	Wife	AM
Heald, Oliver	110,938.19	Christine Heald	£35,000 - £39,999	OM		Christine Heald	Wife	OM
Healey, John	122,446.34	Jackie Bate	£10,000 - £14,999	OM		Jackie Bate	Wife	OM	Part time
Heath, david						Dr Caroline Netherton	Wife	SC
Hodgson, Sharon	125,881.94	Alan Hodgson	£30,000 - £34,999	OM		Alan Hodgson	Husband	SC
Hood, Jim	102,041.25	Marion Stewart-Hood	£20,000 - £24,999	PA		Marion Hood	Wife	R/PA
Hopkins, Kelvin	123,270.19	Patricia Hopkins	£10,000 - £14,999	S		Patricia Hopkins	Wife	CS	Part time
Howarth, George	94,149.29	Julie Howarth	£30,000 - £34,999	OM		Julie Howarth	Wife	OM
Hoyle, Lindsay	143,891.00	Catherine Hoyle	£10,000 - £14,999	S		Catherine Hoyle	Wife	CS	Part time
Jamieson, Cathy	134,482.55	Ian Sharpe	£10,000 - £14,999	PA
Jarvis, Dan	135,956.56	Rachel Brookes	£5,000 - £9,999	SS
Johnson, Diana	117,359.92	Kevin Morton	£35,000 - £39,999	OM		Kevin Morton	Partner	OM/SR
Johnson, Gareth	113,347.41	Wendy Johnson	£10,000 - £14,999	PA		Wendy Johnson	Wife	SS	Part time
Jones, Helen	122,614.65	Michael Vobe	£35,000 - £39,999	PA		Michael Vobe	Husband	SPA
Knight, Greg	118,197.81	Janet Knight	£20,000 - £24,999	PA		Janet Knight	Wife	PA
Lavery, Ian	128,196.73	Hilary Lavery	£20,000 - £24,999	JS		Hilary Lavery	Wife	JS	Part time
Lee, Phillip	113,898.98	Anthony Lee	£5,000 - £9,999	JS		Anthony Lee	Father	JS	Part time
Leugh, Edward						Mary Leigh	Wife	OM
Liddell-Grainger, Ian	127,952.52	Jill Liddell-Grainger	£30,000 - £34,999	PA		Jill Liddell-Grainger	Wife	PA
Lloyd, Tony	48,904.78	Angharad Lloyd	£5,000 - £9,999	JS
Loughton, Tim	110,562.31	Elizabeth Loughton	£5,000 - £9,999	SC		Elizabeth Loughton	Wife	C	Part time
Lucas, Ian	115,724.51	Norah Lucas	£5,000 - £9,999	SS		Norah Lucas	Wife	S	Part time
Luff, Peter						Julia Luff	Wife	OM
MacNeil, Angus	106,377.70	Jane MacNeil	£20,000 - £24,999	PA		Jane MacNeil	Wife	PA/C
Mann, John	110,840.78	Joanna White	£30,000 - £34,999	OM		Joanna White	Wife	OM
Maude, Francis						Christina	Wife	OM	Matern. Cover
McCann, Michael	125,201.51	Tracy Ann McCann	£30,000 - £34,999	OM		Tracy Ann McCann	Wife	OM
McCartney, Karl	111,716.88	Cordelia McCartney	£35,000 - £39,999	OM/SPA		Cordelia McCartney	Wife	OM
McCrea, William	124,600.24	Robert Watters	£20,000 - £24,999	SC
McDonnell, Alasdair						Siobhan McDonnell	Niece	C
Mckenzie, Iain	109,517.26	Alison McKenzie	£1 - £4,999	JS		Alison McKenzie	Wife	JS	Part time
McLoughlin, Patrick	108,613.85	Lynn McLoughlin	£35,000 - £39,999	SPA		Lynn McLoughlin	Wife	ES/OM
Meale, Alan	121,878.91	Diana Gilhespy	£15,000 - £19,999	SPA
Mercer, Patrick	102,947.37	Susan Gray	£35,000 - £39,999	OM		Cait Mercer	Wife	JC
Miller, Andrew	111,755.46	Frances Miller	£25,000 - £29,999	OM		Frances Miller	Wife	S/OM	Part time
Miller, Andrew						Julie spencer	Wife	S/OM	Part time
Moore, Michael	111,613.07	Alison Moore	£15,000 - £19,999	AC		Alison Moore	Wife	AC
Morris, Grahame	123,300.12	Michelle Morris	£10,000 - £14,999	SS		Michelle Morris	Wife	SS	Part time
Mundell, David	113,745.92	Oliver Mundell	£25,000 - £29,999	PA		Oliver Mundell	Son	PA
Munn, Meg	113,612.49	Dennis Clifford-Bates	£20,000 - £24,999	SPA		Dennis Bates	Husband	R/PA	Part time
Munn, Meg		Deborah Stenton	£20,000 - £24,999	C
Murray, Ian	121,430.23	Hannah Woolfson	£5,000 - £9,999	JS
Murrison, Andrew						Jennifer Murrison	Wife	PA	Part time
Ottaway, Richard	133,057.84	Nicola Ottaway	£10,000 - £14,999	SS		Nicola Ottaway	Wife	PA	Part time
Owen, Albert	121,451.84	Samuel Blyth	£25,000 - £29,999	PA
Paice, James	109,379.04	Ava Paice	£10,000 - £14,999	PA		Ava Paice	Wife	CC	Part time
Parish, Neil	104,182.52	Susan Gail Parish	£15,000 - £19,999	JS		Susan Parish	Wife	JS
Patel, Priti						Alex Sawyer	Husband	OM	Part time
Paterson, Owen	102,650.50	Rose Paterson	£30,000 - £34,999	SPA		Rose Paterson	Wife	SPA
Pearce, Teresa	126,632.18	Paul O'Neill	£5,000 - £9,999	OM		Paul O'Neill	Partner	COM
Penning, Mike	84,292.29	Angela Penning	£30,000 - £34,999	OM		Angela Penning	Wife	OM
Poulter, Daniel	123,213.63	Carol Poulter	£35,000 - £39,999	OM		Carol Poulter	Wife	SC
Pound, Stephen	113,741.73	Maggie Pound	£20,000 - £24,999	C		Maggie Pound	Wife	CC
Pritchard, Mark	89,392.79	Sondra Spaeth	£40,000 - £44,999	OM		Sondra Pritchard	Wife	OM
Riordan, Linda	119,564.84	Stephen Roberts	£35,000 - £39,999	SPA		Stephen Roberts	Partner	SR
Robathan, Andrew	74,194.20	Rachel Robathan	£20,000 - £24,999	SPA		Rachel Robathan	Wife	SPA	Part time
Robertson, Angus	113,335.55	Carron Anderson	£25,000 - £29,999	SC		Carron Anderson	Wife	PC
Robertson, John	93,702.21	Laura Robertson	£1 - £4,999	JS		Laura Robertson	Daughter	JS	Part time
Robertson, Laurence	117,605.04	Anne-Marie Adams	£40,000 - £44,999	OM		Anne-Marie Adams	Partner	OM
Robertson, Laurence		Susan Robertson	£25,000 - £29,999	SS		Susan Robertson	Wife (Sep.)	SS
Rogerson, Dan	97,328.01	Heidi Rogerson	£5,000 - £9,999	DS		Heidi Rogerson	Wife	DS
Roy, Frank	106,804.93	Ellen Roy	£1 - £4,999	JS		Ellen Roy	Wife	JS	Part time
Ruane, Chris	137,438.94	Gillian Roberts	£20,000 - £24,999	OM		Gillian Roberts	Wife	OM	Part time
Sanders, Adrian	116,451.22	Alison Sanders	£25,000 - £29,999	OM		Alison Sanders	Wife	OM
Scott, Lee	114,475.75	Estelle Scott	£30,000 - £34,999	SS		Estelle Scott	Wife	SS
Shelbrooke, Alec	121,172.54	Susan Shelbrooke	£10,000 - £14,999	SS		Susan Shelbrooke	Wife	S	Part time
Shepherd, Richard	95,925.81	Davida Catleugh	£35,000 - £39,999	OM		Davida Catleugh	Sister	OM
Sheridan, Jim	132,273.90	Joanne Riley	£25,000 - £29,999	PA		Joanne Sheriden	Daughter	PA/C/A
Simmonds, Mark	137,426.92	Lizbeth Simmonds	£20,000 - £24,999	OM		Lizbeth Simmonds	Wife	OM	Part time
Skinner, Dennis	54,741.85	Lois Blasenheim	£35,000 - £39,999	S		Lois Blasenheim	Partner	ES
Smith, Andrew	136,003.70	Valerie Smith	£10,000 - £14,999	SC		Valerie Smith	Wife	SC	Part time
Smith, Angela	108,477.72	Steven Wilson	£35,000 - £39,999	SC		Steven Wilson	Husband	SPR
Smith, Henry	94,146.04	Jennifer Millar-Smith	£20,000 - £24,999	SS		Jennifer Millar-Smith	Wife	S
Stevenson, John	91,684.08	Tracy Nixon	£5,000 - £9,999	SS		Tracy Nixon	Partner	SS	Part time
Streeter, Gary	136,399.64	Janet Streeter	£10,000 - £14,999	PA		Janet Streeter	Wife	JPR	Part time
Stringer, Graham	115,749.62	Eleanor Carr	£25,000 - £29,999	PA		Eleanor Carr	Step Daughter	PA
Stuart, Graham	121,549.67	Niki Roberts	£30,000 - £34,999	OM		Niki Roberts	Sister	OM
Swales, Ian	111,843.96	Anne Swales	£5,000 - £9,999	SS		Anne Swales	Daughter in law	JS	Part time
Swayne, Desmond	76,756.74	Moira Swayne	£5,000 - £9,999	OM		Moira Swayne	Wife	S/OM
Swire, Hugo	119,128.31	Alexandra Swire	£30,000 - £34,999	PA		Alexandra Swire	Wife	SR/PA
Syms, Robert						Fiona Syms	Wife	SPA	Part time
Tami, Mark	116,497.59	Sally Tami	£15,000 - £19,999	DS		Sally Tami	Wife	S/BC	Part time
Turner, Andrew	115,530.59	Carole Dennett	£15,000 - £19,999	PA		Carole Dennett	Partner	PA
Twigg, Derek	75,696.04	Mary Twigg	£25,000 - £29,999	ES		Mary Twigg	Wife	ES
Vaz, Valerie	129,249.61	Paul Townsend	£35,000 - £39,999	OM		Paul Townsend	Husband	OM
Vickers, Martin	87,148.14	Ann Vickers	£5,000 - £9,999	JS		Ann Vickers	Wife	JS	Part time
Walker, Charles	117,342.79	Fiona Walker	£25,000 - £29,999	OM		Fiona Walker	Wife	OM
Wallace, Ben	117,082.19	Liza Wallace	£20,000 - £24,999	SRA		Liza Wallace	Wife	RA	Part time
Whittaker, Craig	126,018.71	Sophie Whittaker	£15,000 - £19,999	JS		Sophie Whittaker	Daughter	JS	Part time
Williamson, Chris	128,954.76	Margaret Amsbury	£25,000 - £29,999	SS		Margaret Amsbury	Partner	SS
Williamson, Gavin	83,810.72	Joanne Williamson	£1 - £4,999	JS
Wilson, Phil	114,968.72	Margaret Brown	£35,000 - £39,999	OM		Margaret Brown	Partner	PA/OM
Wright, Iain	89,665.24	Tiffiny Wright	£25,000 - £29,999	OM		Tiffiny Wright	Wife	OM
Young, George	75,966.55	Camilla Young	£30,000 - £34,999	SPA		Camilla Young	Daughter	OM

Job Code Key
Job Code	Job Title
A	Administration
AM	Administrative Manager
AC	Assistant Caseworker
BC	Budget Control
C	Caseworker
CC	Constituency Caseworker
COM	Constituency Office Manager
CS	Constituency Secretary
CSC	Constituency Senior Caseworker
DS	Diary Secretary
ES	Executive Secretary
EDS	Executive & Diary Secreatary
IOM	Immigration Office Manager
J	Junior
JC	Junior Caseworker
JPR	Junior Parliamentary Researcher
JS	Junior Secretary
OM	Office Manager
PA	Parliamentary Assistant
PC	Parliamentary Caseworker
RA	Research Assistant
R	Researcher
S	Secretary
SC	Senior Caseworker
SPA	Senior Parliamentary Assistant
SPR	Senior Parliamentary Researcher
SRA	Senior Research Assistant
SR	Senior Researcher
SS	Senior Secretary

From the data for 2012/13, according to my calculations there are 153 out of 650 (23.5%) MPs, who employ connected parties.  This reduces to 147 (22.6%) on the 24^th March, 2014 return.  If you add the minimum salary bands together for 2012/13 it totals £3.1m, averaging £20,261.  This assumes that staff in the £1 - £4,999, are earning only a £1, which hopefully they are reflecting an admirable devotion to public service.  If the maximum of the salary bands are summed, this equates to £3.9m.  These figures should be viewed in the context of total staffing expenditure for 2012/13 of £98.7m  Other points of note are that I am not sure whether the salary bands represent the full time salary or part time salary for part time employees, and, that these figures will not include any pension contributions made by the employer (i.e. the MP).

So there we have it.  I hope you have found this overview of the information interesting, and, as always double check the figures from their original sources if you need to quote them yourself.  I am working out how to add a poll to my next blog, so stay tuned.