Rules to prevent Tynwald members who have been suspended from receiving expenses have moved one step closer.

The House of Keys approved the principle of the Payment of Members’ Expenses (Amendment) Bill when they gave it a second reading last week.

Education Minister Graham Cregeen, who is taking the bill through the Keys, said it followed a Tynwald resolution.

’The bill deals with the circumstances where a member is called on to apologise for misconduct and refuses to do so and is suspended until he or she complies with the order of Tynwald,’ he said.

’Since any suspension will involve the loss of the member’s duty to represent their constituents, Tynwald resolved that any Member whose suspension continues because of their failure to comply with an order of Tynwald should not be eligible to receive any allowances for expenses or other work, on the basis that they will not be able to carry out their functions in the appropriate way.’

Tynwald members receive fixed rate expenses of just over £7,000 per year.

The issue was highlighted in the Manx Independent on October 4 when it asked every MHK and MLC to list what they spent the money on.

Only two members did not supply a list. They were Bill Malarkey (Douglas South) and Chris Robertshaw (Douglas East).