Thatcher Claims £500k Expenses In Five Years

Lady Thatcher, the former prime minister, has claimed more than £500,000 in expenses in the last five years, despite her ill health.

The 86-year-old still carries out some public engagements more than 20 years after she left office.

As a former prime minister, she is eligible for a public duties cost allowance to cover office and secretarial expenses.

Cabinet Office figures reveal Lady Thatcher claimed £535,000 since 2006.

Sir John Major, who succeeded her in Downing Street, has received £490,000. He created the fund when he was in power in 1991.

Tony Blair, who beat Sir John in the 1997 election, has been given just under £273,000 from the public purse since 2007.

In 2008-9, he received more from the allowance than he earned from his official salary when he was prime minister the year before.

The figures were published in response to a written question from Conservative MP Philip Hollobone.

In his response, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said: "The public duties cost allowance is kept under review."

The maximum allowance for each former prime minister has steadily increased from £47,568 in 1997 to £100,205 in 2008.

The amount spent on, and by staff, remains under scrutiny across government departments.

On Thursday, the Cabinet Office said it had slashed the cost of civil service bonuses by £15m in six months.

But other figures suggest the amount spent on bonuses elsewhere is rising - the Government paid out £140m in extra cash to staff in 2010-11, up £4m on the year before.

The Ministry of Defence spent £45m on bonuses and the Department for Work and Pensions forked out £40m.

Details of government procurement cards have also been revealed, with all expenditure over £500 published.

Ministry of Justice staff spent £1,201.76 on the Avon cosmetics website, £1,832.42 at Debenhams and £756 at Crossroads Kennels as well as £735.54 at a veterinary surgery.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport shelled out more than £5,000 on Addison Lee taxis between May and July.

Also, employees at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) spent £247.75 at Dominos pizza, £172.70 at The Cake Store and £54.30 on Krispy Kreme doughnuts.