OXFORDSHIRE MPs are spending more than £100,000 of taxpayers’ money on staying in London to avoid having to commute between their constituencies and the capital.

The county’s MPs claimed a total of £125,262 for the costs of living away from their main homes between April 2007 and March 2008, according to figures published yesterday by the Commons authorities.

In total the six MPs made £894,660 in claims – up from £829,631 the previous year.

Three MPs — former Henley MP Boris Johnson, Wantage MP Ed Vaizey and Banbury MP Tony Baldry — each claimed the maximum amount allowance for staying away from home of £23,083.

But Oxford East MP Andrew Smith spent just £13,306 on his second home in London. Witney MP David Cameron claimed £19,626 while Oxford West and Abingdon MP Evan Harris claimed £23,081 — £2 less than the maximum.

The wide variation in claims for second homes prompted calls for a full review of MPs’ allowances.

Mr Smith said: “The money I have spent is to enable me to do the best job I can for constituents.

“The best way to reform the system is to give full responsibility for MPs’ allowances — and pay — to a totally independent body.”

The publication of the allowances came after Home Secretary Jacqui Smith admitted she had inadvertently put in a claim for two porn films watched by her husband. Miss Smith has promised to repay the money but the scandal increased demands for an overhaul of the system.

Susie Squire, campaign manager of pressure group Taxpayers’ Alliance, called for a full scale review of the second home allowance. She said many of those who claimed it lived within “perfectly normal commuting distance from London”, adding: “If they want to live a five star lifestyle they can fund it out of their MP’s salary."

On the Oxfordshire MPs who had taxpayer-funded homes in London, she said: “Many taxpayers do that commute every single day of their lives while holding down a normal job and they have to pay for it themselves. ”

The overall figure of £894,660 include the costs of MPs’ travel, staff, stationery, office and IT as well as costs of living away from their main home.

The largest claim was made by Dr Harris, who spent £160,923. The lowest — £141,287 — came from Mr Johnson, who left Parliament shortly after being elected London mayor last May.

l MPs are to receive a 2.33 per cent pay rise next month, taking their salary — before allowances — to about £64,766.