ASHOK Kumar was last night named the region's most expensive MP for the third year in succession after claiming £161,049 in allowances.

The Labour backbencher ran up a Parliamentary bill 28 per cent higher than the Commons average of £125,766 in the year to March.

Mr Kumar's allowances and expenses climbed from £158,844 in 2004-5, primarily because of a jump in his staff costs, from £68,381 to £84,400.

The Middlesbrough South and east Cleveland MP's travel bill fell sharply, from £18,057 to £13,744.

Last year, MPs claimed 40p a mile for the first 10,000 miles - down from 57.7p after the Commons mileage allowance was cut.

Dr Kumar was easily outspent on travel by Darlington's Alan Milburn (£21,506), Middlesbrough's Sir Stuart Bell (£18,661) and Harrogate's Phil Willis (£16,574).

In past years, Dr Kumar has also been criticised for his postal bill, but that also fell significantly last year, from £22,720 to £14,473.

Last night, the MP issued a defence of his spending, pointing out he employed three staff in his constituency office, as well as one assistant at the Commons.

And he said he had dealt with more than 15,000 cases on behalf of constituents, with about 400 live cases at any one time.

Dr Kumar said: "Headlines about MPs' expenses are always meat and drink to journalists trying to give the impression that Parliament is just a gravy train. The reality, of course, is very different.

"I make no apology for keeping my constituents in touch with the work I do on their behalf. That is why my postage and stationery bills are high. The alternative is not to be accountable to the people. That, I would suggest, would lead to proper criticism - and rightly so."

The table of Britain's costliest MPs put Dr Kumar in third place overall