IPSA

IN “Mickey taking comes as standard” Rod Liddle last week said the board members of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) “have hardly appeared in person at all for their regular meetings but are still eligible for the full” £400 attendance fee. Ipsa tells us that in seven meetings this year by the five board members, including the chairman Sir Ian Kennedy, there were three complete absences and 11 attendances by conference call, and that those who do not make a physical appearance are paid an undisclosed pro rata portion of the fee. Ipsa also says that in its first year there was a reduction of £14.5m in MPs’ expenses compared with the final year of House of Commons self-regulation. We are happy for it to clarify this.