The North East MPs that have claimed their TV licence back on expenses

Through an investigation into the expenses and finances of MPs across the region, The Northern Echo has identified the local representatives who have asked to be reimbursed out of the public purse for their licence.

Looking at data provided by IPSA, the independent group responsible for monitoring expenses and other finances of MPs, 192 Members of Parliament across the UK and 12 in the North East were found to claim back the licence under ‘office supplies’ in their parliamentary offices.

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The revelations come several days after culture secretary Nadine Dorries announced that the government would undertake a review of the BBC's funding model.

She told MPs that the licence fee will remain fixed at £159 until April 2024, when it will then rise in line with inflation for the following four years, up to the end of the current Royal Charter in December 2027.

The annual BBC licence fee is required by any household consuming BBC television channels, radio and online programmes and services including iPlayer, Radio 1, CBeebies and the World Service.   

It was announced on Monday (January 17) that the TV licence fee would be frozen until 2024.

This discussion about the licence fee and funding for the BBC forms part of a wider argument, with reports suggesting that BBC funding will be cut altogether beyond 2027 – leaving the corporation with several factors to think about.

Divides from members of the public about whether the licence fee should be scrapped has also being ongoing.

In a recent poll carried out by The Northern Echo, the majority of readers were in favour of seeing the licence fee phased out, with one reader saying: “It’s about time they got rid of it. There’s nothing decent on anymore, but we must pay 159 a year to watch repeats. I cancelled mine when I moved and cancelled sky; me and my kids don't watch TV, we just watch Netflix - I was paying for a service that I didn't use,” while others have defended the BBC; calling it an “institution that shouldn’t be tampered with”.

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On a political scale, most North East MPs have stayed quiet in the House of Commons on the issue of TV licences, apart from North Durham MP, Kevan Jones, who has called the debate a “distraction tactic” from the Prime Minister over allegations of Number Ten Downing Street Parties in lockdown last year.

Taking to the House of Commons on Monday (January 17), Mr Jones said: “The Secretary of State’s come to the House today to basically say the freeze in the licence fee is to help hard-working, struggling families.

“When was this decided, did it go through a cabinet subcommittee, did cabinet sign this off, or is it that just over the last weekend, we thought we’d come up with something which would take the tension away from the Prime Minister?”

Ms Dorries replied: “Cabinet has signed it off, these negotiations have been going on with my predecessor as well as myself, I legally had to make my statement in as much time as possible before April, which is why I’m making it today.”

The 12 MPs who claimed back their TV licence fee through expenses.

The North East and North Yorkshire MPs that have claimed back a £159 TV licence on expenses are:

• Alex Cunningham – MP for Stockton North (Labour)
• Alan Campbell – MP for Tynemouth (Labour)
• Guy Opperman – MP for Hexham (Conservative)
• Ian Mearns – MP for Gateshead (Labour)
• Jacob Young – MP for Redcar (Conservative)
• Julie Elliott – MP for Sunderland Central (Labour)
• Kevin Hollinrake – MP for Thirsk and Malton (Conservative)
• Matt Vickers – MP for Stockton South (Conservative)
• Richard Holden – MP for North West Durham (Conservative)
• Sharon Hodgson – MP for Washington and Sunderland West (Labour)
• Simon Clarke – MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (Conservative)
• Grahame Morris – MP for Easington (Labour)

How the MPs that have claimed TV licences back on expenses have responded:

After discovering the names of the 12 North East and North Yorkshire MPs that have asked to be reimbursed for the TV licence, The Northern Echo contacted them for comment.

While the practice of claiming a TV licence back on expenses isn’t illegal – much has been said about the difficulties older people have had with getting reimbursed for their TV licences, while others have called it a “double standard” that they have to fork out £159 from their finances.

So far, most MPs that have responded have clarified that the licence fee is just for their constituency office.

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When approached for comment, Alex Cunningham, MP for Stockton North, said: “The only TV licence I have claimed for is for my Stockton constituency office, which is essential under the law. I pay personally for both the licences for my Stockton home and my London flat.”

Meanwhile, Thirsk and Malton representative, Kevin Hollinrake responded: “You will see that this is claimed for my constituency office to enable my staff to have access to the news and any other relevant programming,” and Simon Clarke, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland said: “This claim was for a TV in the office to allow national news monitoring, reclaimed through IPSA in the usual way."

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