GLASGOW MSPs claimed almost £300,000 in expenses in the last year.

The 15 MSPs across four parties biggest expense was office costs claiming £164,000 to run operations in constituencies.

Travel in the constituency and to and from Holyrood as well as hotel accommodations and meals while in the capital made up most of the remaining cash.

There are no second home allowances for MSPs and Glasgow MSPs do not qualify to rent flats in Edinburgh as it is too close to Edinburgh.

The MSPs claimed £63,816 in hotel and evening meal costs for the nights spent in the capital and almost £30,000 in travel costs.

The highest claim was from James Dornan, SNP MSP for Cathcart whose bills totalled £27,524. He claimed £9,300 for hotel and meals and £1856 in travel.

Mr Dornan said his bills could be higher because of his role within the SNP group.

He said: “The reason why hotel bills appear higher is my deputy chief whip duties bring me through to Holyrood more than if I was a backbench MSP.”

Mr Dornan’s bills per night, of £104, were slightly cheaper than the lowest overall hotel claimer in the city, Labour Provan MSP, Paul Martin, who only claimed £230 for two night’s accommodation.

Mr Martin however claimed almost £5000 in motor mileage costs with many trips from Glasgow to Edinburgh. Mr Dornan's total travel bill was £1856

Second highest in the city was Bill Kidd SNP MSP for Anniesland at £16,311 with £10,339 for hotel stays. Mr Kidd is SNP chief whip.

The lowest claim came from Drew Smith Labour regional MSP for Glasgow.

Mr Smith billed Holyrood for £12,487 while fellow List MSP Humza Yousaf of the SNP claimed second lowest at £13,950.

The total amount claimed by all Scotland’s MSPs was £12.49 million.

A Scottish Parliament spokeswoman said: "Figures published today show a 0.2% decrease on the previous year. This is a fall of £25,238."

Glasgow Labour MSP Anne McTaggart whose total was £20,829 billed £8644 for hotel stays in Edinburgh.

She also claimed £346 for two nights in London's four-star Strand Palace. In July 2014.

Party leaders claimed

Nicola Sturgeon claimed almost £16,000

Johan Lamont was labour leader through half the claiming period April 2014 to March 2015. £14,931, Ruth Davidson Tory leader just over £17,000 and Patrick Harvie of the Greens £18,673.

TABLE £

 

MSP Hotels Travel Total

Ruth Davidson 3670 51 17,272

Bob Doris 1936 3598 20,470

James Dornan 9300 1856 27,524

Patricia Ferguson 1741 1670 20,932

Patrick Harvie 5936 2471 18,673

Bill Kidd 10,399 1977 26,311

Johann Lamont 2159 1445 14,931

Hanzala Malik 3072 3216 15,530

Paul Martin 230 4879 22,889

John Mason 1047 1585 21,852

Anne McTaggart 8644 4081 20,829

Drew Smith 4466 1117 12,487

Nicola Sturgeon 3444 0 15,839

Sandra White 5159 1363 25,742

Humza Yousaf 2609 51 13,950

Total 63,816 29463 £295,234