Ian Swanson obviously got the call from perma-tanned SSP leader Tommy Sheridan. Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act all the MSPs who are using their living allowance to cash in on the rising house prices in Edinburgh. We have already covered this topic here.
These are not all the capitalist tories who are taking the profits they go across the political spectrum. We have today written to Tommy Sheridan for a full list of the MSPs and hopefully we will publish it here in due course.
These MSPs are among the best-paid people in Scotland, on over £50,000 a year. Ministers are on £80,000 a year.
“And just to make them feel good, we throw in a publicly assisted property scheme which can make them at least another £50,000-£100,000. It is an absolute outrage and it must stop.” Mr Sheridan said he had appealed against the parliament’s decision not to publish further details of the payments.
“They have not given me the size of the mortgage at the time of purchase,” he said. “The idea that it is personal information is disgraceful. This is public money we are talking about. Those that bought a £70,000 flat or house in 1999 will now be sitting on a £150,000 flat or house.
Here is the partial list so far:
Cabinet Ministers
Deputy First Minister Jim Wallace – Lib Dem – Has 2 properties in the Register of interests but none in Edinburgh – Joint heritable proprietor of a property in Dumfriesshire, member’s share of this property is valued at approximately £22,000. Joint heritable proprietor of a property in Dumfriesshire, member’s share of this property is valued at approximately £15,000.
finance minister Tom McCabe – Labour – Register of interests has the following entry Flat in Edinburgh, estimated value of £155,000. Rental income (gross) of £5,000. – Tom, explanation please.
Health minister Andy Kerr – Labour – Has no heritable property at all according to Register of interests – Why, when we are paying for it?
Education minister Peter Peacock – Labour – Also has no heritable property at all according to Register of Interests – [Ceased interest removed from entry: May 2005]. Questions?
Environment minister Ross Finnie – Lib Dem – Again, no heritable property at all according to Register of Interests.
Transport minister Nicol Stephen – Labour – Again no heritable property at all according to Register of Interests.
Deputy Ministers –
Hugh Henry – Labour – Again no heritable property at all according to Register of Interests.
Tavish Scott – Lib Dem – Again no heritable property at all according to Register of Interests.
Euan Robson – Lib Dem – Member has 25% share (value approx. £80,000) of a property in Berwickshire. Nothing in Edinburgh.
Allan Wilson – Labour – Again no heritable property at all according to Register of Interests.
Other Notables
Deputy presiding officer Murray Tosh – Conservative – Again no heritable property at all according to Register of Interests.
John Swinney – SNP – Again no heritable property at all according to Register of Interests.
Now forgive me for being naive, but isn’t the register of interests the place for this information.
Hopefully Tommy will get back to us and send us the full list so that we don’t cause the public purse any more money by supplying the same information to us.
More Info: Revealed: the MSPs’ houses we paid for
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