THE WINTERTONS could cost taxpayers up to £290,000 when they leave Parliament.

Sir Nicholas and Lady Ann, who announced last week they would be stepping down as MPs for Macclesfield and Congleton, will be paid resettlement allowances of £32,383 and £44,040 respectively.

And that’s on top of final year salaries of £64,766 each.

However, the money would not available to any MP who resigns with immediate effect.

In addition, they are entitled to claim up to £42,068 each in ‘winding-up’ costs, including redecorating constituency offices and post-election telephone calls, according to Parliament’s Green Book guide to members’ allowances.

As longstanding MPs, both are also due Parliamentary pensions of up to two thirds their MP’s salary of £64,766 a year.

A general election does not have to be called until June next year.

But the Wintertons, along with ten other MPs who have so far stepped down during the expenses scandal, have shown no intention of giving up their seats until then – making themselves eligible for the payouts.

Neither is entitled to the full resettlement grant, which is designed to aid post-Parliamentary "adjustment", as they are beyond retirement age. Instead, Sir Nick will receive 50 per cent of his salary and Lady Ann 68pc.

The winding up allowance is described by the Green Book as a ‘wide-ranging allowance which you can use to meet travel costs, office and staff costs necessarily incurred on your Parliamentary duties after the General Election’.

This includes paying staff up to four months after the election, furniture removal, constituency office rent and bills and, if required, redecorating. More than a dozen resigning MPs have been branded ‘lame ducks’ during the Telegraph’s daily expose of expenses and allowances.

Correspondence between Sir Nick and Tory leader:

Dear David,

Ann and I have been giving considerable thought in recent months to our future plans.

While I remain tremendously involved both in the House of Commons and in my Macclesfield constituency (and Ann is also much involved too) I am aware that we cannot maintain the hectic pace at which we have lived for nearly four decades and we would like a steadier lifestyle which would enable us to see more of our family, including eight grandchildren, not least at weekends.

Also, with all the changes taking place in Parliament and in local government, we feel that it is an appropriate time to announce that we do not intend to stand as candidates at the next general election and we will be notifying our association chairmen accordingly.

However, I would ask that you do not make any public announcement about our decision until we have done this.

Parliament and my constituency have been my life for almost 38 years (and politics in general for almost 50 years) and in Ann’s case for more than 26 years.

But when you feel as we do that maybe the years are taking their toll and perhaps we can no longer represent Macclesfield and Congleton with the same level of energy and enthusiasm as in the past, we have reached the conclusion that we should pass the baton to a younger person, because both Congleton and Macclesfield deserve the very best.

I hope that during the remainder of this Parliament, I can help others in returning to the House of Commons itself some authority, independence and integrity over the executive of the day, because the House is currently virtually impotent.

Our support for the Conservative and Unionist Party is total and we will continue to do all we can to ensure a great victory at the next General Election, whenever it comes.

We wish you every success.

Yours ever

Nicholas

David Cameron’s reply to Sir Nick’s letter:

I completely understand your decision to stand down and appreciate that these must not have been easy decisions to make.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the service, energy and commitment both of you have demonstrated to Parliament and to your respective constituencies.

Never before has a husband and wife team served the House of Commons for a total of 65 years and this is something you can both be very proud of.

David Cameron