MPs' EXPENSES: Harris says he'll repay profit on sale of his London flat (From Oxford Mail)

MPs' EXPENSES: Harris says he'll repay profit on sale of his London flat

6:00am Thursday 28th May 2009

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MP EVAN Harris made £200,000 when he sold his taxpayer-funded home in London, but last night pledged to pay back any profits.

The Oxford West and Abingdon MP bought the one-bedroom flat in Westminster for £150,000 when he was first elected in 1997 and claimed £79,618 in second home expenses on the property in four years. Last year he sold it to his parents for £350,000.

All capital gain financed by the taxpayer will be paid back –– it’s something I will do.

Evan Harris

The Liberal Democrat MP is due to pay capital gains tax on the sale – about £36,000. But, in line with party leader Nick Clegg’s proposals, he has also pledged to pay back the rest of the profit on the property – and on any future second home sales – when he leaves office.

Mr Harris yesterday revealed his parliamentary expenses to the Oxford Mail after the furore over MPs’ claims.

He said: “My main home has always been my flat in Botley, Oxford, which has a living room, kitchen, two bathrooms, one bedroom and a study. It has no garden.

“My second home has always been in London. I had a one-bedroom flat with a living room and kitchen which was five minutes’ walk from the House of Commons. I sold it in November last year because I wanted a flat with a study. My new flat is also in Westminster.

“All capital gain financed by the taxpayer will be paid back –– it’s something I will do.

“That’s never been an issue for me. I have never been in the property market.”

Other MPs have been crticised for using taxpayer-funded expenses to improve properties before selling them on for a profit.

Between April 2004 and March 2008, Dr Harris claimed £30,606 on paying off the interest on his £125,000 interest-only mortgage, which has been transferred to his new flat.

He spent £16,056 on food, £3,703 on utility bills, £1,278 on telephone bills and £2,210 on cleaners. He also claimed £1,316 on new carpets, for his TV licence each year and smaller items such as an iron, a kettle and bath towels.

In the summer of 2007, he claimed between £2,500 and £3,000 for emergency plumbing work.

Dr Harris defended the claims. He said he had never claimed for furniture and stopped claiming for food, general household goods and cleaners 18 months ago.

He said: “I’m not surprised people are furious about what some MPs have been up to, but I have only claimed for a modest flat near the Commons. There’s been no lavish redecoration.

“I read the member’s claim form every time I sign it and all my claims have been for ‘additional expenses wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred to enable you to stay overnight from your only or main home for the purpose of performing your parliamentary duties’.

“I am not independently wealthy so the only way to work the long hours that I do is to use the allowance to have a small flat near the Commons and claim subsistence. Any capital gain financed by the taxpayer will go back to the taxpayer when its value is realised.”

He added: “When I sold the one-bedroom flat to my parents to buy one with a study, I was careful to obtain a valuation and sell it at the valuation to avoid any question of personal gain.”

Dr Harris declined to say how much his new second home cost.

However, he did release his claims for the financial year ending March 2009, which totalled £15,256.13. His mortgage interest claims rose to £10,167.46, but he did not claim for food, cleaners or household goods.

tshepherd@oxfordmail.co.uk

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