Interesting story in the Western Mail about the call, from the Taxpayers Alliance, to take food off Assembly Members' expenses.
According to the report,
"In 2007-08 four AMs – all members of Plaid Cymru – claimed more than £3,000 for meals and subsistence. South Wales East’s Jocelyn Davies claimed £3,586.05, followed by Ceredigion’s Elin Jones (£3,187.60), Mid & West Wales AM Nerys Evans (£3,003.70) and Carmarthen East and Dinefwr’s Rhodri Glyn Thomas (£3,303.13).
As the Assembly sits for only 30 weeks of the year on average, and that Assembly members are normally in Cardiff for only three nights of the week, this equates to around £109 per week or around £35 per night.
With all four currently charge the taxpayer for second homes in Cardiff (presumably with kitchens), you would wonder what they are actually eating every night, especially as the average weekly bill for households (i.e. the whole family) in the UK is £48.10. i.e. £12.80 is spent on meat, £3.70 on fresh vegetables, £3.00 on fresh fruit, and £4.00 on non-alcoholic drinks.
This equates to £7 per day, or a fifth of what these four AMs were spending every night.
They are not the only ones and members from all political parties have been claiming for meals at the taxpayers' expense.
Whereas the restaurants in Cardiff Bay will no doubt suffer as a result, perhaps the Assembly would be so kind as to include cookery lessons as part of their induction for all AMs after the next election.
According to the report,
"In 2007-08 four AMs – all members of Plaid Cymru – claimed more than £3,000 for meals and subsistence. South Wales East’s Jocelyn Davies claimed £3,586.05, followed by Ceredigion’s Elin Jones (£3,187.60), Mid & West Wales AM Nerys Evans (£3,003.70) and Carmarthen East and Dinefwr’s Rhodri Glyn Thomas (£3,303.13).
As the Assembly sits for only 30 weeks of the year on average, and that Assembly members are normally in Cardiff for only three nights of the week, this equates to around £109 per week or around £35 per night.
With all four currently charge the taxpayer for second homes in Cardiff (presumably with kitchens), you would wonder what they are actually eating every night, especially as the average weekly bill for households (i.e. the whole family) in the UK is £48.10. i.e. £12.80 is spent on meat, £3.70 on fresh vegetables, £3.00 on fresh fruit, and £4.00 on non-alcoholic drinks.
This equates to £7 per day, or a fifth of what these four AMs were spending every night.
They are not the only ones and members from all political parties have been claiming for meals at the taxpayers' expense.
Whereas the restaurants in Cardiff Bay will no doubt suffer as a result, perhaps the Assembly would be so kind as to include cookery lessons as part of their induction for all AMs after the next election.
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