Why have official credit cards of these 19 MPs been suspended?

Over 18 high-profile MPs have had their official credit cards suspended after racking up debt.

The list of the names includes Labour’s work and pensions spokeswoman Rachel Reeves and former Lib Dem minister Simon Hughes.

The details were revealed through a Freedom of Information (FoI) request by Press Association.

An FoI request submitted by Press Association revealed that the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) also blocked work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith’s credit card after he owed £1,057.28.

However, IPSA later admitted that it blocked Smith’s credit card by mistake and that he currently has no debt.

An Ipsa spokesman said: “An MP may owe an amount to IPSA for many different reasons, and the fact that an amount is owed does not, in itself, indicate any misuse of the MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses.

“As part of our credit management programme, MPs are sent financial statements detailing their monthly position with IPSA. Where MPs have amounts owed to IPSA, action is taken to recover these amounts.”

Take a look at list of the MPs who have had their cards suspended by Ipsa since 1 January 2015:

Ben Gummer – £1,290.07
Brian Binley – £575.02
David Willetts – £1,172.05
Debbie Abrahams – £2,586.90
Eric Joyce – £12,919.61
Iain Duncan Smith – £1,057.28
Ian Liddell-Grainger – £1,023.94
Ian Paisley Jr – £6,195.94
Jack Dromey – £1,328.46
John Woodcock – £1,756.13
Mark Lancaster – £600.00
Mike Crockart – £720.64
Pamela Nash – £6,929.29
Paul Farrelly – £213.00
Rachel Reeves – £4,033.63
Simon Danczuk – £3,645.67
Simon Hughes – £826.56
Stephen Gilbert – £2,925.76
Toby Perkins – £693.30