A false claim about MPs’ breakfasts is being widely shared on Facebook again.
One post from 14 February 2022 includes what appears to be a screenshot from Twitter, showing an image with the words: “Not one family in Britain should have to use a food bank when a mp can claim £50 for a breakfast.” [sic]
A similar post from 16 February makes the same claim.
In fact, MPs cannot claim £50 for a breakfast. The latest rules from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority say that MPs can claim a maximum of £25 per day for food and (non-alcoholic) drink in some circumstances.
The relevant rule says: “MPs may claim for the cost of purchasing food and non-alcoholic drinks where they have stayed overnight outside the London Area and their constituency. This is limited to £25 for each night they have stayed, but the claims can be for purchases made during the day.”
Under some circumstances, MPs are allowed to claim the cost of staying in hotels, up to a maximum of £175 per night in London, or £150 per night elsewhere in the UK. This can include the cost of breakfast, if breakfast is included in the price.
Photo by Eiliv-Sonas Aceron on Unsplash