Keith Simpson has spent £185 on lightbulbs since 2004

Keith Simpson says he lives in a basement flat with over 30 lights

Mr Simpson, a shadow minister for foreign affairs, has bought more than a dozen boxes of halogen bulbs in the past four years to brighten up his rented garden flat near Westminster.

Most have been 50W halogen bulbs made by Osram that are supposed to last for 2,000 hours – the equivalent to burning 24 hours a day for 83 days. Files show that Mr Simpson, who has represented Mid Norfolk since 1997, charges taxpayers £1,850 a month for rent on his Additional Costs Allowance.

Apart from telephone bills, almost the only other items he claims on expenses are light bulbs. He has spent £185.59 on around 60 bulbs since 2004.

Mr Simpson said: “My basement flat has over 30 halogen lights which are an integral part of the ceilings and provide most of the fixed lighting. Because they are halogen light bulbs they are quite expensive and have a tendency to expire easily.

“As a basement flat, it probably requires more artificial light than a ground-floor flat.”