TUV 'has observed MLAs from various parties' using Stormont's free car charging points - Timothy Gaston
An MLA says politicians from “various parties” have been observed using free electric vehicle charging points, and says he sincerely hopes they have not also been claiming travel expenses.
The TUV man has submitted questions to Stormont officials on the matter, which he has described as a “scandal”.
On Wednesday, the BBC revealed that MLAs are able to charge their electric vehicles (EVs) free of charge while also eligible to claim an allowance – sometimes totalling thousands of pounds – for travel to Stormont.
“I sincerely hope that we will not discover that MLAs are claiming travel expenses while simultaneously availing themselves of taxpayer-funded charging points at Stormont. If that were the case, we would have the ludicrous situation where the public were effectively paying twice for MLAs to travel to Stormont.
“The current system means that MLAs receive mileage based on the number of days they attend Stormont depending on the distance to their constituency. It would be intolerable if MLAs were receiving travel money as well as plugging their car in to a free charging point at work.
“TUV has observed MLAs from various parties using the charging points. Why, therefore, are they refusing to confirm what we know to be true?
“There is a serious point here about the proper use of taxpayer's money by elected representatives and it is time for all the parties to be clear with the public. Failure to do so will profoundly undermine confidence in MLAs.
“With the charging points costing the public £350 in just one week, it beggars belief that there is no record kept of which MLAs use the charging points, never mind any attempt to check whether they are also claiming mileage.
“Coming so soon after MLAs received a pay rise worth more than 27%, this controversy will only deepen the growing public perception that Stormont has become a gravy train for the political establishment — one where the taxpayer is too often expected to pick up the bill.”
Mr Gaston has asked the Assembly Commission to explain why booking information is not retained and how many cards for use of the EV chargers have been issued to MLAs from each party.
Aside from the TUV, the SDLP is the only party to say its MLAs have not used the free service.