Parliament publishes Brown's home expenses

The House of Commons released details of expenses claimed by 14 senior MPs including Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Friday after giving up a legal battle to keep them secret.

Three boxes of documents were handed over to reporters in response to freedom of information requests made by three journalists.

They relate to claims made under an allowance given to MPs to cover the running costs of their constituency home while staying in London to attend the House of Commons.

Commons authorities said on Monday they would no longer pursue legal action to prevent publication, after losing a High Court battle last week.

The House of Commons had argued that the release of the expenses information would be "unlawfully intrusive" and would reveal sensitive information such as home addresses.

Some details in the documents released were blanked out, including the address of Brown's home in his Scottish constituency of Kirkaldy and Cowdenbeath.

Claims made by Brown included the cost of subscribing to Sky television, utility bills and 4,471 pounds for refurbishing a kitchen.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair claimed more than 10,600 pounds for a new kitchen at his home in County Durham, 515 pounds to buy and fit a dishwasher, as well as interest payments on part of his 295,000 pound mortgage.

Opposition Leader David Cameron's claims were largely restricted to the interest payments on the 350,000 pound mortgage on his Chipping Norton home in Oxfordshire.

"Taxpayers should not be made to pay for Gordon Brown's Sky TV subscription or Tony Blair's 10,000 pound kitchen," said Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance.

"It's clear that this allowance pays for much more than just a base in London - MPs use it to fund a lifestyle far more comfortable than their constituents enjoy."