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Ann Coffey
Stockport MP stays silent on staff
Peter Devine6/ 2/2008
THE MP for Stockport is keeping mum on whether she pays members of her family to work for her.
Labour’s Ann Coffey who was elected to the House of Commons in 1992, is one of four MPs who cover the borough’s constituencies. However, she was the only one of them who refused to reveal any information on employing family members to the Stockport Express this week.
The controversy over MPs employing family members - in some cases for large sums of money - came to a head last week when some Members were accused of abusing the Commons’ expenses system.
Tory MP Derek Conway had employed his son Frederick at a cost to the taxpayer of £981 a month - whilst he was away at university.
And Tory MPs Nicholas and Ann Winterton claimed £165,000 back on their London home - but insist they broke no rules.
When the Express contacted Ms Coffey, who is parliamentary private secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, we were told she was too busy working on the Budget.
And although it is reported on several websites that she does employ her daughter, Catherine, on her staff, her spokeswoman told us: "She is not prepared to talk about who she employs and who she doesn’t employ. This is more an issue for the MPs who abuse the system."
A national newspaper website, and a Parliamentary blog both state Ms Coffey’s daughter Catherine is listed as a member of her staff, but while other MPs reveal how much they pay their aides, there is no inkling from Ms Coffey of whether or not her daughter is paid and how much.
The MP for Hazel Grove, Lib-Dem Andrew Stunell admitted to employing his son. The admission about Mr Stunell, came through a House of Commons spokeswoman, who refused to go into details except to say: "Mr Stunell employed one of his sons as an intern for a couple of months and paid his expenses in 1997. Since then he has not employed any other members of his family."
Reddish Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, said: "I have never employed any member of my family. I have no objection to it so long as members of one’s family are paid the appropriate pay scale, and they actually do the job."
Cheadle MP Mark Hunter said: "I haven’t employed anyone from my family. I have two teenagers at university and a wife who has a career of her own. I am in favour of greater transparency and I hope the Commons makes more of an issue of those abusing the system."
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10/02/2008 at 23:55