Joan Ruddock's expenses: Applying a fine-toothed comb

Having covered the 'big picture' non-story that is Joan Ruddock MP's expenses, BC thought we'd be thorough by having a quick look through the detail which has recently been released on the Parliamentary website.

Her communications allowance was mostly used for the obvious stuff - printer paper and ink, stamps, and so forth. A £140 camera and £540 on computer equipment from Dell are the most exciting items spotted.

Under the incidental expenses provision, payments are many and varied...
Catering. Someone called Stewart. The Laban Centre. Stationery, IT equipment and banners (which should perhaps have been accounted for under the communications allowance). Vodafone and BT. Office cleaning, insurance and electricity bills. Fair trade tea, a kettle and a fan heater. A fire extinguisher. Volunteers' travel costs, and someone on work experience. Payments to the Telegraph Hill Centre and St Andrews Centre for surgeries, and hire of somewhere called 'Albany Pineapple'. Purchase of a content management system and training for staff. Website hosting. £740 for an accountant. £275 petty cash over 11 months. £385 to Trinity Mirror for adverts in a number of publications (they seem to be job adverts). £200 to Lewisham Deptford Labour Party to cover a shortfall in consitutency office running costs. Oh, and £65 to Premier Shredding Ltd for the collection & destruction of 15 boxes' worth of materials ...

As an aside, BC notes that Ms Ruddock does indeed insist on being called 'Ms', to the extent that she amends forms which have 'Mrs' printed on them.