text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  MPs' Allowances - Abolish the John Lewis List - rejected
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  
  
  The majority of MPs voted against the motion:[1]
  
  ** This House 
  * ''recognises'' growing public concern on expenses and allowances for hon. Members and Members of the European Parliament (MEPs); 
  * ''believes'' that the minimum requirements for tackling the problem include regular reporting and appropriate auditing of the use of expenses and allowances, the publication of claims made, broken down by type, in relation to each allowance and claimable expense, the publication of the names and salary bands of all relatives employed by hon. Members and the abolition of the so-called John Lewis list; 
  * ''further believes'' that UK MEPs should abide by the same rules and practices as hon. Members, with particular regard to the repayment of surpluses, published annual statements verified by independent accountants and overseen by a compliance officer, the publication of the names and salary bands of any relative employed and regular reporting of expenses and allowances; and 
  * ''resolves'' that, notwithstanding its decision of 3rd July,[2] hon. Members should no longer be able to claim reimbursement for furniture and household goods with effect from 1st April 2009.
  
  This was substituted with the alternative motion:[3]
  
  ** This House
  * ''believes'' that all British Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) should follow all the open and transparent procedures voluntarily adopted by Labour MEPs; 
  * ''further'' to debate in the House on 3rd July on the control and audit of the public money spent by hon. Members carrying out their duties, further believes that there should be a re-writing of the Green book by the Advisory Panel on Members' Allowances, augmented by two independent external appointees; 
  * ''further believes'' that the Panel should keep the Green Book under review and advise on any further modifications, including in relation to reimbursement of reasonable costs of a second residence, to include abolition of the so-called John Lewis list; and 
  * ''further believes'' that an external financial audit by the National Audit Office, covering all the allowances in the Green Book, should include the rules and guidance on what is and what is not acceptable under the rules, the management controls and processes used by the Department of Resources to ensure compliance with the rules, and the checks and testing of the controls to ensure that they are adequate and effective.
  
  which passed without a further vote.
  
  * [1] [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2008-07-16a.255.1 Theresa May MP speech], House of Commons, 16 July 2008
  * [2] [http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2008-07-03&number=253 MPs' allowances - External audits and no more furniture - rejected], House of Commons Division, 3 July 2008
  * [3] [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2008-07-16a.255.1#g267.0 Harriet Harman MP speech], House of Commons, 16 July 2008
  
  
  
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  