Sir David Amess: Expenses watchdog reviews publication arrangements following death

The MPs’ expenses watchdog will redact some details of claims due to security fears following the killing of Sir David Amess.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) acknowledged concerns about information being published on MPs’ travel and the hire of venues for constituency surgeries.

In a letter to MPs, the organisation’s chairman Richard Lloyd and chief executive Ian Todd said the IPSA was seeking fresh security advice on what should be disclosed and while that review was being carried out it would temporarily remove some details from previously published claims.

The IPSA said the review would also examine how Freedom of Information Act requests are assessed.

The watchdog is also postponing the scheduled publication of figures due in November.

Southend West MP Sir David was stabbed to death at a constituency surgery event on Friday.

Ali Harbi Ali, 25, a British citizen with Somali heritage, is in custody after being arrested on suspicion of murder.

In the letter to MPs, the IPSA chiefs said: “We have heard from some Members since last Friday that there are concerns about some of the information we publish, including data on travel and constituency surgery venue hire.

“Our publication policy is already informed by police advice on security, and regularly updated based on that advice.

“In light of the terrible events last Friday we are seeking fresh expert advice on what and how we publish your business and staffing costs.

“This will include consideration of how freedom of information requests will be assessed.

“Whilst this review is under way, we are postponing the publication of expenditure information due in November and temporarily removing descriptive detail from previously published claims on our website whilst the review is under way.”