Shropshire's Lord Grocott claims £41,000 for 148 days' work

Shropshire Labour peer Lord Grocott claimed £41,681 in expenses for 148 days' work, latest figures reveal.

According to his expenses claims, he was paid £281 for every day he attended Parliament between April 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010.

Scientist Martin Rees, Lord Rees of Ludlow, attended the Upper Chamber on 86 occasions and claimed £6,595 - an average of £76 per day for the same 15-month period. He was awarded his life peerage in 2005.

The peers' expenses system is different to that for MPs. The latest expenses claims released by the Lords authorities date back to the old regime.

Peers were then entitled to a £86.50 "day subsistence" allowance to cover meals and taxis, a £75-a-day office costs allowance, a £174 "overnight subsistence" allowance to cover the cost of accommodation for those whose main home was outside of London, plus travel and postal expenses as well.

Lord Grocott, who served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Tony Blair from 1994 until 2001, claimed £20,010 "overnight subsistence", £12,111 "day subsistence", £4,575 office costs, £4,950 travel expenses and £35 for postage.

The former Telford MP served as a government whip between 2002 and 2008.

The new "no-questions-asked" £300-a-day or £150-a-day flat rate - to be claimed at the member's discretion - only came into force last month.

Under the new system, peers simply need to prove their attendance by "clocking in" to the House of Lords to claim the flat rate sum.

The latest data comes a week ahead of the release of MPs' expenses claims which are expected to be disclosed next Thursday.

Lord Grocott has a 92 per cent voting record - among the highest in the Upper House - and well above average amongst peers.

By London Reporter Sunita Patel