Tuesday, 2 June 2009

David Mundell claimed more than £3,000 on MPs' expenses to take photographs of himself


The "Out and About" section of his website displays more than 700 pictures, mostly of Mr Mundell in various different parts of his Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale constituency.

Mr Mundell appears to have set himself the task of visiting as many places in his constituency as he can and getting his picture taken beside the road sign as proof.

His tour has so far taken him to Bankend, Beattock, Boreland, Cardrona, Clarencefield, Durisdeermill, Ecclefechan, Gretna and Hightae, to name but a few.

He is also pictured taking overseas trips overseas to places such as Israel and Rwanda.

His passion for photography got him into trouble in August 2006, according to details contained in his expense claims.

A picture of "David Mundell and Family at Biggar Bonfire" was used on the MP's website and in a parliamentary report, without authorisation from the photographer.

As a result, Mr Mundell was sent an invoice for £175 for its use on the website with another £175 added on top as a penalty for failing to seek his permission.

The other reproduction was also charged at a "double rate" of £180, bringing the total bill to more than £620 with the inclusion of VAT.

Some negotiation seems to have taken place over the penalty fees which are scored out on the invoice and replaced by smaller sums, so that the total comes to £428, an amount which Mr Mundell claimed on his Incidental Expenditure Provision (IEP) expenses, which are designed to cover office costs.

On Saturday Mr Mundell said an error had been made and added: "I take personal responsibility for that and will reimburse the sum involved."

The picture is no longer included among the hundreds on his website, but there are numerous others such as "David with brick on head" from an August 2007 trip to Rwanda; two pictures of the MP at the "Crowning of Anna's Queen of the Border" – but none of the queen; one of him pulling a pint behind the Strangers' Bar in Parliament; and another showing Mr Mundell in a colourful costume to promote the "Be Loud" bowel cancer campaign in January last year.

It is possible that some of these will have been taken with one of two Olympus cameras bought from John Lewis for a total of £528 in May 2006.

In April last year Mr Mundell bought a copy of Adobe Photoshop, a computer programme used to edit digital photographs, for £468.

Mr Mundell was ranked among the worst performers in an analysis of MPs' value for money by The Sunday Telegraph.

He came in 587th place for 2007/08 based on his contribution in parliament as he attended 47 per cent of votes, spoke in only 11 debates and submitted just 16 written questions in the year while claiming £169,187 in total expenses, including travel, home, office and staffing costs.

Most pictures on Mr Mundell's website appear to be the work of an amateur, but he does also employ professional photographers and claims back their fees on expenses.

In March 2006, he hired one to photograph a school visit to the Palace of Westminister at a cost of £117.50.

The same photographer was on hand in October 2007 to capture the Scottish Agricultural College's visit to the House of Commons for £99.87.

In Scotland, another professional photographer was paid £140 in October 2007 "to photograph David around Peebles and Lead Burn Junction".

Another captured him "meeting road contractors" in Canonbie, and at Langholm for a "Save Eskdale" event in August of that year, for fees totalling £220.

Mr Mundell said:

"Over four years, the cost of photographs and equipment work out at about £65 per month and I am happy for the Conservative independent scrutiny panel to review whether that is excessive."

"I use photographs on the website. I send photographs to the 12 local newspapers in my constituency and I also use photographs for Parliamentary publications."

"I hold an annual surgery tour of the constituency where I visit over a hundred venues. I think it appropriate to demonstrate to my constituents that I have been in their community by providing photographic evidence of those tours."

"These photographs are not taken by a professional photographer so whether there are 700 or 7 photographs it wouldn't cost the taxpayer any more or less."

Mr Mundell said he had already repaid a sum to cover the cost of beer, a Gingerbread Santa and a Gingerbread Rudolph which appear on receipts to back up claims made on his IEP

Mr Mundell said he was uncertain whether they had been part of a claim or included on receipts for other items which were being claimed for.

"But I recognised the potential for ambiguity when I went through my receipts myself as part of the redacting exercise," he said.

He claimed there were good reasons for his low activity levels in parliament. "As a member of the Shadow Cabinet, I am obliged to follow Conservative party policy for Scottish MPs and not vote on English-only matters.

"This has a considerable impact on my simple percentage voting record.

"As the frontbencher who has responsibility for Scotland, I am restricted by the Commons rules on the issues on which I can intervene in general debate."

He added that he was the only Scottish Conservative MP and also Shadow Secretary of State with "a broad range of responsibilities and duties on which I am required to be in Scotland".

David Mundell

Job: Conservative MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale and shadow Scottish secretary

Salary: £64,766

Total second home claims

2004-05: N/A

2005-06: £19,177

2006-07: £22,079

2007-08: £22,177

Total expenses

2007-08: £169,187

Rate of attendance at votes: 47 per cent

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