RAYLEIGH Tory MP Mark Francois claimed back taxpayer-funded expenses for wine gums, Kit Kats and Haagen-Dazs ice cream.
In the past four years, Mr Francois, who is shadow minister for Europe, has claimed a total of slightly under £1,000 for food.
The maximum he could have claimed for food, without receipts, would have been £19,200 – £400 per month under the second home allowance.
However, he has put in receipts for all his food bills, which have come from a London Tesco store and included lemon sorbet, Cadbury Bournville chocolate and Peperami spiced pork snacks.
Mr Francois said: “I have used my additional costs allowance to rent a flat, but never to purchase one. As part of my claim over the four years combined, I spent a total of slightly under £1,000 for food.
“This comprised a number of basic items, such as Pot Noodles, and also several items of snack food, such as Snickers and Mars bars and some Peperamis as well.
“Given all the other revelations of the past few weeks, I hope the fact I claimed for some snacks as part of my food allowance is not considered to be particularly excessive, but if I have upset anybody with this then I am sorry to have done so.”
FULL STORY IN THURSDAY'S ECHO
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