DORSET and New Forest MPs have differed widely in their expenses claims in the latest period released today.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) has released figures for the period May to September 2010.

Top claimant in Dorset was Lib Dem MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, Annette Brooke, who claimed £14,527.86.

She defended the amount, saying the figures did not tell the whole story, as she had a low claim in the previous quarter and was owed a backlog of money from earlier in the year.

Mrs Brooke said she had also spent cash on a number of one-offs after being re-elected, including new computer software and an annual insurance policy.

She said: “I’ve always been a relatively low claimant. It’s important to realise there was a backlog.

“You have to look over the whole period and I run a busy office. We do clock up expenses in the service that we give, but we try to be as efficient as possible.”

The rest of Dorset and the New Forest’s MPs are Conservative and the lowest claimant was South Dorset’s Richard Drax, with £4,279.90.

Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns claimed £4,981.32, while Tobias Ellwood, member for Bournemouth East, claimed £8,591.70.

Mr Burns, who was elected last May, said: “I’ve been very conscious of it and I was very clear before the election about how I would handle the expenses and I published a clear contract about what I would and would not do and invited people to hold me to that.

“I think there’s a very changed attitude among new MPs that came in on the back of the expenses scandal and they’re keen to rebuild trust.”

Poole’s Robert Syms claimed £12,880.06 and Bob Walter, for North Dorset, claimed £7,389.58. Mr Walter was the only Dorset or New Forest MP to have a claim rejected by IPSA – £15.44 for a water bill.

He declined to comment on his expenses claims when contacted by the Daily Echo.

Christchurch MP Christopher Chope claimed £8,101.07, while New Forest West member Desmond Swayne claimed £5,526.27.

Mr Swayne said: “I am trying to keep mine as low as possible. I could make them even lower but it is about services to my constituents.

“For some time there has been a competitive element. Publication is the best disinfectant.”

He added: “There has got to be a maturity about the way we report things. I for one would back a league table of expenses and then if MPs have got a reason for high expenses then they can say.

“Obviously they have to be looked at on an individual basis – some MPs may incur more travel based expenses because their constituencies are bigger.”

Leader of the Commons Sir George Young said the new system was failing. Labour has also called for “fundamental reform”.

TOTAL CLAIMS FOR MAY TO SEPTEMBER

Annette Brooke (Lib Dem, Mid Dorset and North Poole) £14,527.86

Conor Burns (Con, Bournemouth West) £4,981.32

Richard Drax (Con, South Dorset) £4,279.90

Tobias Ellwood (Con, Bournemouth East) £8,591.70

Robert Syms (Con, Poole) £12,880.06

Christopher Chope (Con, Christchurch) £8,101.07

Desmond Swayne (Con, New Forest West) £5,526.27

Bob Walter (Con, North Dorset) £7,389.58

BREAKDOWN OF CLAIMS FOR SEPTEMBER 2010 ONLY

ANNETTE BROOKE (Lib Dem, Mid-Dorset and North Poole)total: £7,428.80.

Rent £1,163, Phone £38.25, TV licence £145.50, Constituency rental £2,681.33, Computer purchase £598.84, Admin other £20.75, Professional services £263.20 (services from the Parliamentary Office of the Liberal Democrats), Stationery £42.17, Professional services (staff) £2,369, Rail £106.80

CONOR BURNS (Con, Bournemouth West) £3,422.99, Rent £1,450, Council tax £220.19, TV licence £145.50, Postage £10.42, Professional services £146.88 (for survey of 135 Hankinson Road to establish rental price for constituency office)

RICHARD DRAX (Con, Dorset South) NIL

TOBIAS ELLWOOD (Con, Bournemouth East) £6,665.80, Mortgage interest £4,758.60, Computer purchase £928.94, Travel £978.80

ROBERT SYMS (Con, Poole) £2,614.47, Rent £1,450, Constituency rental £764.47, Congestion charge £56, Own car £344

BOB WALTER (Con, North Dorset) £2,204.43, Phone line at constituency £92.31, Phone line at constituency £62.94, Constituency office rent £2,2049.18

CHRISTOPHER CHOPE (Con, Christchurch) £302.49, May-Sept electricity £32.41, Home insurance June-September £145.92, Vodafone bill £50.38, Stationary – banner £45.79, Printer paper - £15, Extension cable for internet £12.99

DESMOND SWAYNE (Con, New Forest West) £409.83, Hotel room for three nights £84, Surgery room hire - £70, Advertiser and Times surgery advert £20.08, Blackberry bill £55.50, Food and drink at Parliament £26.65, Own car – £153.60

OLIVER LETWIN (Con, West Dorset), total: £4,772.57

Constituency rental £366.04; Constituency phone £118.22; General admin £2,408.75; Mobile £138.63; Mobile hire £219.15; Professional services(staff) £1,345.98; Train tickets £175.80.

We're wading through all the data - come back on Friday for full details of the claims and compare + contrast charts.