Peter Luff shopped till he swapped, then started again

Peter Luff submitted receipts for furniture and furnishings or decorating bills virtually every month over a four-year period

During a four-year period, Peter Luff, the MP for Mid-Worcestershire, spent £17,000 on various items including four beds and mattresses, five tables, two ironing boards, two vacuum cleaners, five sets of towels and three kettles.

In the months before he switched the designation of his second home from Worcester to the capital, he paid for more than £5,000 of decorating and repairs, including the £53.71 cost of having his Aga cooker fixed.

Six months later, he switched his designation to a small flat in south London, where he spent more than £3,000 decorating the bathroom, kitchen, sitting room and hall.

Records seen by The Daily Telegraph show that Mr Luff submitted receipts for furniture and furnishings or decorating bills virtually every month over a four-year period.

Under the rules governing second home expenses, MPs are not allowed to make purchases which would be deemed “extravagant or luxurious”. On virtually each occasion, the House of Commons fees office signed off Mr Luff’s expenses without question, although he did have an £809.91 claim for a television reduced to £750.

In March 2005, he attended a meeting with fees office staff, who told him that his claim for a £1,583 dining room table and chairs was considered excessive. He was paid £750.

A few months later, Mr Luff contacted the fees office again to explain the purchase of a £625 china service. He wrote: “Since buying my flat seven or more years ago I have muddled through with such items from our family home, but so many have broken that it has become essential to restock.

“I have taken advantage of the end of the January sales and obtained an effective 25% discount on a standard but not luxurious household range of china.”

Less than three years later, he purchased another china set for £367. A note on his claim form made by an official read: “Discussed. Decided against further action but slight concern regarding purchase price of china.”

A former parliamentary aide at the Department for the Environment, Mr Luff was an assistant Tory chief whip until 2005. He was required to register his constituency house as his second home, but said that had always considered this to be his London flat, which is why he switched his designation once he returned to the back benches.

Mr Luff denied he had flipped his designation, adding: “I don’t remember claiming for three loo seats, and if it is true it would be extraordinary. I cannot afford to maintain two homes out of one income and need to claim the full cost of every item in my second home.

“I have always taken personal responsibility for all my claims which I believed to be within the letter and spirit of the rules. If my judgment is wrong I will repay any money identified as breaching the spirit of those rules.”

Peter Luff

Job: backbench Conservative MP

Salary: £64,766

Total second home claims

2004-05: £19,435

2005-06: £19,483

2006-07: £20,014

2007-08: £19,694

Item-by-item

Radio £148.99

Clock radio £116.99

Ladder £22.67

Lavatory £256

Bed £708

Kitchen table and six chairs £1,583

Vacuum cleaner £194.37

Microwave £218.99

Ironing board £49.99

Sandwich maker £12.95

Vacuum cleaner £139

Kettle £29.99 (W)

China service (W)

Cookware £18 (W)

Bread bin £18 (W)

Cafetiere and bed linen £48.48 (W)

Electric heater £49

Pillows (6) £42 (W)

Towels (2) £14 (W)

Wastepaper bin and magazine rack £64.92

Glasses £20 (W)

Laundry bin, mirror, duvet cover, mattress cover, sheet, pillowcase £157.50

Ironing board £14.99 (W)

Bed linen £20 (W)

Dining room table, four chairs, bar stool £596

Carpet £1,589.93

Towels (4) and bathmat £76

Food mixer, kitchen scales, table lamp, bulbs £150.90

Fan £24.99 (W)

Bathroom access-ories including lavatory seat, towel, shower curtain £274.84 (W)

Bedspread £100 (W) (Food mixer, bed sheets, towels Bedside light, alarm clock radio £246.75

Bed linen, incl: duvet cover (1) pillow cases (4) valance £255.50 (W)

Mattress £675

Shower curtain, lavatory set £133.94 (W)

Bed linen including sheet (1) pillow case (2) duvet cover (1) £75

Highgrove bedside chest £144.93 (W)

Kettle £17.99

TV £809.91 (W) (was paid £750)

DVD £224.99 (W)

Chest of drawers £725 (W)

TV stand £99.99 (W)

Coffee table £120

Cutlery and table accessories £107.45

Bed £369 Bed linen £18.36 (W)

Bed linen and cushions £123 (W)

Bed linen £36 (W)

Two sofas, two tables, pouffe £1,774

Kitchen equipment £23.46 (W)

Phone £22.49 (W)

Kitchen accessories including door stopper, £3.99, £156.62 (W)

Dishwasher £299

W = bought in Worcester

The multiple claims

Radio 3

Lavatory/seat 3

Bed/mattress 4

Table/coffee table 5

Set of chairs 2

Microwave 2

Ironing board 2

Vacuum cleaner 2

Kettle 3

China service/ crockery 2

Bed linen 10

Pillows 2

Towels 5

Food mixer 3

Shower curtain 2

DVD 2

Chest of drawers/ bedside chest 2

Sofa 2

Blanket 3