ESSEX County Council leader Lord Hanningfield claimed more than £38,000 parliamentary expenses in a year.

The Tory peer claimed £38,028 as a member of the House of Lords between April 2008 and March this year.

The latest figures show Lord Hanningfield spent 102 days at the Lords during the period.

He claimed £17,340 in overnight subsistence, an average of £170 for each day he spent at Westminster, and just £4 under that of the maximum peers can claim.

His claim during 2007/08 was £17,120, when he spent 107 days at the Lords, making an average claim of £160 each day, which was also just below the maximum of £165.50 for that period.

Castle Point MP Bob Spink said there needed to be more transparency into parliamentary expenses, so people could see they were getting value for money.

He added: “If the accommodation is necessary for the job, that’s fine. But the public need more transparency, to know that the job is being done.”

Between April 2008 and March 2009, Lord Hanningfield claimed £8,631 in day subsistence, including meals and any travel costs which cannot be recouped under travel expenses.

That meant he claimed an average of £84.61 for each day he spent at the House of Lords. Again, this was just below the maximum claim of £86.50.

Colchester Lib Dem MP Bob Russell said the amount Lord Hanningfield claimed for overnight accommodation and day subsistence was greater than the maximum MPs can claim for second home allowance.

He added: “The figure again puts him at a subsistence claim higher than that of the maximum allowed for any Member of Parliament and is four times higher than what I’ve claimed.”

Rail and bus journeys claimed by Lord Hanningfield cost the taxpayer £1,125 during the period, compared with £1,095 for the previous 12 months. He also made £450 in mileage claims in 2008/09, compared with £350 the previous year.

Expenses to run his office amounted to £10,482 for the 2008/09 period, compared with £10,260 for the previous year.

I’ve never claimed more than I’ve spent says council leader

LORD Hanningfield defended his Westminster claims.

He said there was no salary for members of the House of Lords, unlike MPs, so his claims were based on living costs while working at Parliament.

The county council leader said his work as a politician had seen him lose money, compared to his old job as a livestock farmer.

He added: “There is no salary in the House of Lords.

“The total renumeration payable is from expenses.

“Therefore, my claims on expenses in the Lords are based on expenditure that I have incurred for my activities in Parliament.

“Over the years I have never claimed more than I have spent and, as I said in the summer, I have in fact made a net loss financially from my membership of the Lords.”

Lord Hanningfield, who also receives £47,471 a year for his responsibilities as county councillor and leader, welcomed proposals to clear up rules on parliamentary expenses claims.

Earlier this year, it was reported that Lord Hanningfield was believed to be part of a police investigation looking at expenses claims made by Lords and MPs.

But Simon Fisher, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police, said the force were not disclosing any information on individuals being investigated in connection with the probe.

He added: “Four files relating to parliamentary expenses have been handed to the CPS for consideration, relating to people in the Lords and the Commons.

“We are currently awaiting a response from the CPS.”