MP's want £25 a day for food?

Farore · 28 Jul 2009 at 21:19

We should make them all go to KFC and buy a family bucket between 4.

In all seriousness tho, £25 a day for food EVERY DAY? For every day that they actually have to travel out side their cities and work, ok. But every day? Wtf?

Tenzen · 28 Jul 2009 at 21:23

Richdog said:
Ok firstly:

a) Not everyone is a student, works shacking shelves, lives on a shoestring budget, or enjoys bringing new meaning to the word 'frugal'.. despite what people on here would love to think. A lot of people don't blink on spending a tenner on some nice meat and veg, and that's cooking at home.

b) It is COMMON, ie: MANY companies give such a food allowance to employees when on away trips. It gets you a meal in the hotel bar and a couple of drinks, it's hardly spendageddon for your average business, and zyou want your employee to be comfortable while out on business. I'm not denying MP's extract the urine on an epic scale,b but this is not one of those things which warrants a witch-hunt.

Honestly, the drama in this place...

TAX PAYERS MONEY! This isnt drama, this is real cash that they are taking away from all of us, to finance their luxury!

A) This is not about circumstance, it is about sensibility or prudence for a better word. Do you *REALLY* need that pret sandwich/starbucks coffee or can you survive on some water a sandwich from gregs.

B) It is NOT common in companies that are going bust. If UK gov was a company it would well and truly be in administration. Times are hard and just like the rest of us, you have to adapt and work together to survive. It is evident from the measures put forward at the moment it is every man for himself. Any business owner will tell you that when times are hard, cost cutting means that luxuries are outlawed. £25/day on food is just that, an unnecessary luxury.

Im sure this point will resonate with business owners and employees alike whose companies are feeling the pinch. If it was your business and you were offering £25/day food to employees and were cashflow negative would you really continue to offer that to your employees? Knowing that you could recoup 200*25 (£5000 a day) in cash? (just an example!)

moremoney · 28 Jul 2009 at 21:24

Richdog said:
Ok firstly:

a) Not everyone is a student, works shacking shelves, lives on a shoestring budget, or enjoys bringing new meaning to the word 'frugal'.. despite what people on here would love to think. A lot of people don't blink on spending a tenner on some nice meat and veg, and that's cooking at home.

b) It is COMMON, ie: MANY companies give such a food allowance to employees when on away trips. It gets you a meal in the hotel bar and a couple of drinks, it's hardly spendageddon for your average business, and zyou want your employee to be comfortable while out on business. I'm not denying MP's extract the urine on an epic scale,b but this is not one of those things which warrants a witch-hunt.

Honestly, the drama in this place...

I/We understand this but could you/we do this 365 days a year for any other company? AND not provide evidence?
I think not.

moremoney · 28 Jul 2009 at 21:27

Why are there so many MORONS on this site trying to justify spending £25 per day on food,,,,,,,, and i don't care where you live.

Part of your expenses agrement is to be reasonable NOT extravagant.

krugger · 28 Jul 2009 at 21:38

£25 seems reasonable to me if you have to eat out it doesn't go far. i spend it most nights i'm away . but i do think it sould be reciepted. i have to so the company can claim the vat back so should they.

moremoney · 28 Jul 2009 at 21:43

krugger said:
£25 seems reasonable to me if you have to eat out it doesn't go far. i spend it most nights i'm away . but i do think it sould be reciepted. i have to so the company can claim the vat back so should they.

Where the No Swearing! do you eat out at.

Maybe you should buy out and get a cook in it may be cheaper.

I used to get £25 per week, but they did provide the caravan to live in.

Oh but we arn't talking about that are we, we are talking about £25 WORTH of FOOD PER DAY.

krugger · 28 Jul 2009 at 21:49

Have you ever been to say harverster? soon adds up i would agree that buying in and cooking is cheaper but when in hotels its not possible if you eat in the hotel its extortionate in london even more so.

The $6m Dan · 28 Jul 2009 at 22:09

But why do they have to eat out so often?
They have second homes so they shouldn't need to.

Deleted member 651465 · 28 Jul 2009 at 22:13

As said before, they get paid enough they should use their wages for everything.

Having a second home is a load of balls. I have to travel to work, can I claim a second home closer to work? No. What about claiming for money so that I can buy food? Not a chance. It's all one big joke that's gone on for waaaay too long.

Scandalous tbh :mad:

Vixen · 28 Jul 2009 at 22:41

EVH said:
As said before, they get paid enough they should use their wages for everything.

Having a second home is a load of balls. I have to travel to work, can I claim a second home closer to work? No. What about claiming for money so that I can buy food? Not a chance. It's all one big joke that's gone on for waaaay too long.

Scandalous tbh

A lot of people can and do claim for second homes and food. My mum gets a set amount per month to cover a rented property close to her work, it's enough for a 2 bedroom flat plus bills. When she's on a shorter contract, her company pay for 4 nights a week in a 4* hotel.

Of course, it's your choice to live away from where you work. MPs need to have a home within their constituency but also need to work in London several days a week. There's no guarantee that their job will be long-term but even if it wasn't, they couldn't get away with just one property in london.

arknor · 28 Jul 2009 at 23:12

Coffee & Pastry from Starbucks - £4.50

Sandwich, Crisps, treat and drink from Pret - £7.50

Another Starbucks Coffee - £3.50

Leaves around a tenner to spend in M&S on a meal, or a takeaway from somewhere for one.

an extreme example imo

you could get a coffee from elsewhere , pasty from greggs etc , boots do a meal deal sandwhich thing for a lot less than £7.50 i think MS do the same for a lot cheaper to.

why do MPs have to stick to the expensive places?

moremoney · 28 Jul 2009 at 23:17

Vixen said:
A lot of people can and do claim for second homes and food. My mum gets a set amount per month to cover a rented property close to her work, it's enough for a 2 bedroom flat plus bills. When she's on a shorter contract, her company pay for 4 nights a week in a 4* hotel.

Of course, it's your choice to live away from where you work. MPs need to have a home within their constituency but also need to work in London several days a week. There's no guarantee that their job will be long-term but even if it wasn't, they couldn't get away with just one property in london.

No but they can clain for 365 days of the year with no reciept, no one else can, not even you're mum, can she?

And they don't even work for 365 days p/y as MPs.

Vixen · 28 Jul 2009 at 23:41

moremoney said:
No but they can clain for 365 days of the year with no reciept, no one else can, not even you're mum, can she?

And they don't even work for 365 days p/y as MPs.

If it's an away from home allowance, they can only claim when they are away from home. FYI it's your, not you're.

Nexus · 29 Jul 2009 at 00:19

arknor said:
an extreme example imo

you could get a coffee from elsewhere , pasty from greggs etc , boots do a meal deal sandwhich thing for a lot less than £7.50 i think MS do the same for a lot cheaper to.

why do MPs have to stick to the expensive places?

I don't think it's an extreme example...
Have you ever lived or worked in London?

Many business areas are littered with chain coffee shops and sandwich places compared to more budget orientated outlets. Especially in the area that MPs are going to be found.

Sure, they could be more savvy and get food from elsewhere, but it would most likely be a further walk (or for their PA) but at the end of the day, if they have money given them to spend, why wouldn't you have a sandwich from Pret over something from Greggs or Boots?

I can understand them receiving the money when away somewhere, as I'd get the same treatment myself with the company I work for. But not for just day to day breakfast/lunch when in the office, unless working a weekend.

Biohazard · 29 Jul 2009 at 00:27

the bosses in my work got several platters from m&s or sandwich shops (o'brians etc)delivered or failing that sent in a taxi every day - claiming that they had meetings that meant they had to work through.

Every day.

Azagoth · 29 Jul 2009 at 03:18

Firestar_3x said:
Ever been to london on business, you do know how much it costs to eat away from mummy and daddy yea?

What a ****ing arrogant attitude you have! I eat away from "Mummy and Daddy" everyday, and I don't spend anywhere near £25 a day on food.

Glaucus · 29 Jul 2009 at 03:19

Azagoth said:
What a ****ing arrogant attitude you have! I eat away from "Mummy and Daddy" everyday, and I don't spend anywhere near £25 a day on food.

But £25 is the going rate for many many companies. So it is not unreasonable at all. Bar the 2nd home maralacky. But to solve that needs a big overhaul. On the face of it though £25 for food when away from your main house is very reasonable.

Azagoth · 29 Jul 2009 at 03:22

AcidHell2 said:
But £25 is the going rate for many many companies.

Maybe, but these slimy thieves, for want of a better word, earn more than enough to pay for their own food without having another 'allowance' that they can abuse. Don't forget that most of them have secondary (and tertiary sometimes) incomes, and a spouse who is also paying into the kitty.

Glaucus · 29 Jul 2009 at 03:25

Azagoth said:
Maybe, but these slimy thieves, for want of a better word, earn more than enough to pay for their own food without having another 'allowance' that they can abuse.

and this is the problem you think they are slimey. Not all of them are, as proven by the expenses scandal and many do a great job.

And wage has nothing to do with reasonable expenses. Seeing as a wage is just that and it is not unreasonable for companys to give expenses for costs incurred whilst you are at wall.

Be it a full card or a food allowance when working away.

Richdog · 29 Jul 2009 at 05:19

moremoney said:
I/We understand this but could you/we do this 365 days a year for any other company? AND not provide evidence?
I think not.

I'm sorry... but they don't get this all year, only when they are away from their designated home. I'm sorry you do not have the brain capacity to realise this.

moremoney said:
Why are there so many MORONS on this site trying to justify spending £25 per day on food,,,,,,,, and i don't care where you live..

Sorry but given your 12-year olds level of spelling and grammar you have no right to make any personal attacks and call anyone a moron.

arknor said:
pasty from greggs etc , boots do a meal deal sandwhich thing for a lot less than £7.50 i think MS do the same for a lot cheaper to.

why do MPs have to stick to the expensive places?

Do you still live at home?

MP's want £25 a day for food?

Deleted member 651465

Deleted member 651465