MPs expenses: Sir Robert Syms claimed £170,000

Figures from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) show the Conservative MP's total business costs for the 2020-21 financial year were £169,975.78.

The MP's costs were up from £161,721.57 the year before, but well below the average for all Members of Parliament, of £203,880.

By comparison, Darren Henry, a fellow Tory MP for Broxtowe, had costs of £280,900 last year, while Philip Hollobone, the member for Kettering, had just £80,700.

The MP in the conurbation who claimed the most in expenses was Michael Tomlinson, member for Mid Dorset and North Poole, costing the taxpayer around £217,000.

Sir Robert Syms, who was elected in May 1997, spent £139,200 on office running costs in 2020-21, including £125,700 on staff wages and £13,500 on other office expenditures. 

READ MORE: Revealed: Bournemouth MPs business expenses

READ MORE: At a glance: What your MP spent last year and what on

MPs business expenses 2020-21

And he spent £22,700 of his accommodation budget (of £23,000), and a further £2,900 on travel and subsistence.

The total costs of MPs last year rose by 4 per cent, to £132.5 million, with almost £300,000 going on hotel claims for just 49 members.

Sir Robert Syms also claimed an additional uplift of £5,223.67 for accommodation.

The IPSA figures also reveal the 124 individual claims made by Robert Syms in 2020-21, with the most expensive single claim being for staff payroll – £125,689.69.

At the other end of the scale, the smallest one-off expense the 65-year-old claimed was £17.99 for software and applications. 

MPs' costs are usually broken down into dozens of categories, with staff pay almost always the largest expense.

The Bournemouth Daily Echo contacted Sir Robert for a comment but he failed to respond.

Sir Robert Syms's five largest types of costs were:

1) Payroll – costing £125,689.69

2) Rent – £29,785.00

3) Mileage - car – £3,229.20

4) Pooled Staffing Services – £3,047.00

5) Landline phone & internet - rental & usage – £1,302.64

He also spent £935.01 on a working from home allowance.

Read more on your MPs expenses: 

• Michael Tomlinson: Dorset MP spent £25k more than next biggest spender
• Conor Burns: Dorset MP claims 31p for stationery amid £13k rise in his spending
• Tobias Ellwood: Bournemouth East MP only conurbation politician to reduce spending
• Sir Christopher Chope: “We keep a tight ship”: Christchurch MP spending revealed