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18/06/2009
Criticism Follows MP's Expenses Publication
The expenses claimed by every UK MP were published on the government's website today.
However, the publication of the documents has been criticised by freedom of information campaigners, who claim crucial financial elements have been blacked out.
The disclosure of details comes after years of lobbying and requests under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act.
MPs' addresses listed on the documents have been blanked out for 'security reasons', but campaigners have said this prevents the reader from being able to establish an MP's second home claim.
It is not possible to find out if an MP has 'flipped' their home and made a profit, a practice which a seen many high profile politicians criticised for.
These details were not removed from original documents obtained by the Daily Telegraph, who serialized the information, and highlighted areas where parliamentarians could have benefited from the claims system.
Uncensored files read by the Telegraph led to weeks of reportage of details which some have said would not have come to light regardless of today's move.
Journalist and FoI campaigner Heather Brooke said the documents released by the government were a "substandard version".
"I can see that avoiding embarrassment has been the key motivating factor of what's been deleted," she told the BBC.
(PR/BMcc)
However, the publication of the documents has been criticised by freedom of information campaigners, who claim crucial financial elements have been blacked out.
The disclosure of details comes after years of lobbying and requests under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act.
MPs' addresses listed on the documents have been blanked out for 'security reasons', but campaigners have said this prevents the reader from being able to establish an MP's second home claim.
It is not possible to find out if an MP has 'flipped' their home and made a profit, a practice which a seen many high profile politicians criticised for.
These details were not removed from original documents obtained by the Daily Telegraph, who serialized the information, and highlighted areas where parliamentarians could have benefited from the claims system.
Uncensored files read by the Telegraph led to weeks of reportage of details which some have said would not have come to light regardless of today's move.
Journalist and FoI campaigner Heather Brooke said the documents released by the government were a "substandard version".
"I can see that avoiding embarrassment has been the key motivating factor of what's been deleted," she told the BBC.
(PR/BMcc)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A very mild, but mostly cloudy day, although with some bright or sunny spells. It will be mostly dry in the morning, but a little patchy light rain or drizzle at times in the afternoon. Maximum temperature 14 °C.Tonight:A band of heavier rain will move east during the evening before clearing eastwards after midnight. then mostly dry through the early hours, but a little rain towards dawn. Minimum temperature 8 °C.
