Executive parties silent on whether their MLAs have used Stormont's free car chargers on top of claiming travel expenses
MLAs with electric cars are able to charge them at Stormont for free – despite also being paid an allowance to drive to the Assembly, it has emerged.
However, four of the five main political parties at Stormont have declined to say whether any of their representatives have availed of the free top-ups, while also billing the taxpayer for mileage.
Politicians are entitled to claim allowances worth thousands of pounds for driving to work at the Assembly, with a separate pay out for travelling around their own constituency.
These expenses can amount to thousands of pounds annually, depending on how far from Stormont their constituency is.
Members of the public using electric vehicle (EV) charging points on the Stormont estate have to pay – with the revenue going to the Assembly.
The situation was exposed by a BBC investigation – with the Northern Ireland Assembly saying that it “supports more sustainable travel choices”.
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston has said the current arrangement could mean the public was “effectively paying twice for MLAs to travel to Stormont”.
An SDLP spokesperson said none of their MLAs own electric vehicles and none have availed of the charging facilities at Stormont.
Sinn Fein, DUP, Alliance and the UUP have not denied that any of its MLAs charged their cars for free and then billed the public for mileage.
The UUP has called for the Assembly to change the policy so politicians pay the same as the public, and say members “have been informed of the party’s position”.
The DUP said its members “will not be using the free facility” – but has not said whether any have been.
An assembly spokesperson told the BBC’s political reporter Brendan Hughes that the growth of EVs was a “relatively recent development” and the matter was expected to be “considered in future reviews of member allowances”.
MLAs, party support staff and assembly employees can use the free charging points under a daily booking system.
However, the Assembly Commission – made up of Sinn Fein, DUP, Alliance, UUP and SDLP politicians – told the BBC that no “metered data” was held to ascertain the cost to the public purse.
It said records were only held on a “short-term basis” and bookings for one week in May cost about £325. Records of who had booked slots for free charging are “not retained”.
In the most recent figures published on the Assembly website, the only MLAs who have not claimed expenses for travelling to Stormont are executive ministers – who have ministerial cars and drivers – as well as the Ulster Unionist MLA Andy Allen.
MLAs receive a basic salary of £67,200, with additional sums for those who hold roles such as ministers and committee chairs.
The five main parties were asked by the News Letter whether any of their MLAs have availed of the free charging whilst also claiming expenses for Assembly travel, whether they will name any MLAs who have done this and whether they will pay the money back.
Sinn Fein and the Alliance Party did not respond.
The Ulster Unionist Party said it “does not hold records of the vehicles driven by our members”.
A spokesperson added: “It is entirely legitimate that the Commission update this policy to ensure that it is in line with current public charging provision.
“The policy should be changed so that MLAs and staff members using the Parliament Buildings EV charging facility pay the same rate as the public, in alignment with the Department for Infrastructure’s on-street charging policy. Our members have been informed of the party’s position on this matter.”
Sinn Fein told the BBC that the party “does not hold any information in relation to MLA modes of transport”.
The DUP told the News Letter: “After almost a decade, free public on street charging in Northern Ireland ended in April 2023. The parliament buildings charging facility should move to a similar charging system.
“We will propose this is changed to a pay to charge facility similar to on street facilities. Until such changes are made, our members will not be using the free facility”.
People Before Profit has said none of its elected representatives or staff “have ever used the free EV charging points at Stormont”.
The NI Assembly said travel allowances were “designed to cover the general costs of travel” including vehicle taxes, insurance and maintenance. They said the Assembly Commission was “committed to minimising environmental impact across its operations”.