MPs Register of Interests reveal part-time earnings

Conservative MP Tim Loughton is paid the figure “for an expected commitment of 12 hours a month” but refused to tell The Argus what it entailed.

The payment has been revealed in the latest release of the House of Commons register of financial interests.

According to the document, the East Worthing and Shoreham MP acts as an adviser to the board of the Outcomes First Group, formerly the National Fostering Agency. He is also chairman of the Quality and Safeguarding Board at the Outcomes First Group.

Mr Loughton also employs his wife, Elizabeth Loughton, as part-time office manager, who is paid using Parliament expenses.

According to the care group’s website, they provide “high-quality education, care and fostering services to vulnerable children and young people”.

First registered on April 18, 2013, the job makes up the majority of his employment and earnings listed on the register of financial interests.

Other registered fees include £250 from Express Newspapers, for an article published in the Daily Express on August 4.

He was also paid £250 from Eden and Partners Ltd, Lewes, for a training session for NHS professionals.

The basic annual salary for an MP from April 1, 2019, is £79,468 but MPs also receive expenses to cover the costs of running an office, employing staff, having somewhere to live in London or their constituency, and travelling between Parliament and their constituency.

The main purpose of the Register of Members’ Financial Interests is to provide information about any financial interest a member has which might “reasonably consider to influence” their actions.

Members must register any change to their relevant financial interests within 28 days.

The MP refused to provide a comment to The Argus.

Caroline Lucas said paid engagements allow her to take part in projects she otherwise would not be able to do

MP Caroline Lucas was paid £4,800 in media appearances and speaking jobs over the last year, the register reveals.

The Green MP is expected to be paid £2,000 from Selfridges Project Earth for her appearance as a panellist at a web-based event in October.

The Brighton Pavilion MP is also due to receive £1,500 from GTI for giving a speech to businesses and recruiters about the climate emergency.

According to the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, both appearances required five hours of work. Ms Lucas said participating in paid engagements allows her “to undertake projects” she wouldn’t otherwise be able to do with MP funding.

She said: “It’s an important part of my job to talk to people about why the climate crisis and other environmental issues matter, and what we can all do to push those issues up the political agenda to get the government action we urgently need.

“Every invitation I receive is considered on its merits and the vast majority of my speaking engagements are unpaid.

“But these were commercial events, run by private companies, discussing vitally important issues: how to be an effective campaigner on behalf of the planet and why climate action is such an important issue for so many young people.

“Doing a limited number of paid engagements allows me to undertake projects that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to with the funding I receive as an MP, for example covering the cost of travel to speak at public meetings around the country, or having the funds to commission research.”

Other registered interests include a payment of £500 from Creative Folkstone for speaking at a festival in 2019.

The MP is also expected to be paid £400 from Town and Country Planning Association, a charity campaigning for a reform of the planning system. The payment was for a speech at a webinar on October 15, totalling about five hours of work.

The politician was also paid a total of £400 by the BBC for appearing on Radio 4’s Any Questions? on January 2 and October 5.

The Green MP also received private donations from Mark and Margaret Constantine totalling £5,000 for “election campaigning in my constituency”.