MPs' expenses: Oliver Heald

NORTH East Herts MP Oliver Heald claimed �156,594 in expenses in the year 2007-08, of which �22,979 was second home allowance. In a two-month period, Mr Heald claimed �32.80 for pens and �96.30 for a select band of newspapers which included the Daily Tele

NORTH East Herts MP Oliver Heald claimed �156,594 in expenses in the year 2007-08, of which �22,979 was second home allowance.

In a two-month period, Mr Heald claimed �32.80 for pens and �96.30 for a select band of newspapers which included the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph and Crow sister paper The Comet for which he claimed 75p a week.

There were regular bills for office and mobile phone and bottled water.

A hole punch for his office cost taxpayers �7.99.

A replacement kitchen blind cost �58, a replacement defective valve in the WC and other works in the bathroom of his second home cost �678.

In one month, he claimed �72 for household supplies including loo rolls, detergent, J Cloths and kitchen rolls.

In October 2007 Mr Heald claimed �375 for food, and claimed the same amount for food the following month.

In February 2008 it amounted to �121. A breakdown of his other claims for that month included �863 for interest payments on his mortgage, �35 for utilities, �105.51 for council tax/rates, �128 for cleaning and �14.53 for water.

In a handwritten note to the parliamentary fees office, Mr Heald said: "As I mentioned on the phone, Everest are finally at the point of practical completion on the windows contract for the flat. Taking account of the deposit and additional payment of �1,500, the balance is �3,367.28."

For the year, he claimed the �7,485 which was paid to North East Herts Conservative Association for providing administrative services including �3,500 for estimated constituency surgery costs.