News Article - 24 May 2012
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Commons accounts for the past financial year have been qualified by the National Audit Office (NAO) due to a near-£1 million overspend.

"Claims for reimbursement of costs by members of parliament were some £946,000 higher than projected," said auditor-general Sir John Bourn in a note on the accounts.

The overspend was accounted for by spending on office sundries such as computers paperclips and stationary.

It is the first time that the NAO has been forced to withhold approval from MPs' accounts, forcing parliament to vote for additional funding to cover the bill.

Each MP spent on average £1,500 over their previously approved budget for the year 2005/06, reports Accountancy Age.

The budget-busting will be investigated by the Commons Department of Finance and Administration.

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