MSP admits he was wrong to claim for wreaths

Jun 4 2009 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

A COUNTY MSP this week admitted it was ‘inappropriate’ for him to claim £36.50 in expenses for two Remembrance Day wreaths.

SNP’s John Wilson was one of 15 MSPs across Scotland blasted for putting Remembrance Day tributes costs on their allowances.

Mr Wilson told the Advertiser on Monday that he was disappointed the issue had distracted from paying respect to servicemen killed in two World Wars and other conflicts and insisted he would pay back the full costs of the wreaths.

Fierce critics said MSPs charging for wreaths were ‘immoral’ and ‘dishonourable’.

But a Scottish Government official said the 15 highly-paid MSPs hadn’t broken any parliament rules by making the public cough up for the tributes to the dead.

Mr Wilson, a Central Scotland list-MSP, laid the wreaths at Remembrance Day services at Coatbridge Cenotaph and in Glenboig where he lives.

He told the Advertiser: “The money is being paid back to parliament this morning (Monday).

“I have come to the decision that it may be inappropriate to claim wreaths as part of my allowance and hence that is why I paid it back.

“Parliament paid the money to the Lady Haig Poppy Factory for the wreaths, and that’s why I am refunding the money back to parliament.

“I am uncomfortable that this issue has distracted from the real meaning of Remembrance Day of paying respect to people killed in the First and Second World War and other conflicts since then.”

Yesterday (Wednesday) it emerged that North and South Lanarkshire councils had provided - courtesy of the taxpayer - the wreaths constituency MSPs and MPs in Lanarkshire laid at Remembrance Day services across the county.

The local authorities had given wreaths to MPs including Tommy McAvoy, Jimmy Hood, John Reid, Tom Clarke, Frank Roy and MSPs Tom McCabe, Michael McMahon and Jack McConnell.

Last year South Lanarkshire Council bought 45 wreaths at a cost of £815.

A council spokesman said: “The council hosts an annual Remembrance event and purchases a number of wreaths for use by the Provost and invited dignitaries such as constituency MPs and MSPs.

“Councillors are also given wreaths to lay at local memorials so they can appropriately honour those who gave their lives from the local communities up and down South Lanarkshire.”

Taxpayers in North Lanarkshire forked out £1479.46 to pay for the wreaths for the services last November.

John Fleming, head of central services at North Lanarkshire Council, said: “The council organises two Remembrance Sunday memorial services in Airdrie/Coatbridge and in Motherwell.

“The council provides wreaths for the Lord Lieutenant, the provost, constituency MPs and MSPs for these services, and the council has consistently declined requests from MPs and MSPs that they be recharged for the cost of those wreaths.”

Mr Fleming added: “The council also provides a wreath for individual members of the council representing the provost and for the representatives of the Lord Lieutenant at other services throughout North Lanarkshire, including Bellshill, Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Wishaw and provides a wreath for the leader of the minority group on the council.”