Members of the Senedd (MSs) claimed a total of £5.7 million in expenses during the last Senedd term, with individual claims ranging from a few pence to thousands of pounds for flights. The figures, covering May 2016 to April 2021, were published on the Senedd website.
The highest claimant was Rhun ap Iorwerth, whose Ynys Mon constituency is furthest from the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay. His claims included return flights to Anglesey at £144.98 each, £744 for ergonomic office chairs, and £78 for coloured pencils. He also claimed £30 for a caravan plot at the Royal Welsh Show and £122 for a feather banner flag.
Conservative MS Russell George, representing Montgomeryshire, claimed the second highest amount. His expenses included £1,464 for second home council tax in his first year, £299 for stamps, and £165 for a doorstep and carpet replacement. He also claimed £905, £981, and £1,068 for electricity bills in 2019-20.
Darren Millar, Conservative MS for Clwyd West, had the third highest claims. His constituency office in Abergele is 228 miles from the Senedd. The MS who claimed the least over a full five-year term was former UKIP turned Independent MS Gareth Bennett for South Wales Central, who claimed £745 for a camera and a Times subscription.
A Senedd Commission spokesperson stated that expenses were overseen by an independent Remuneration Board and could only be claimed for spending necessary to carry out MSs' duties, ensuring value for money. The Labour group described the system as robust, transparent, and independently governed.
