Croydon's three MPs clocked up £364,345 allowances during the last financial year.

The politicians this year signed a failed private members bill which would have prevented publication of some aspects of their expenses.

But the bill, which they said was to protect details of correspondence with constituents, did not gain enough support in the House of Lords.

Figures released this week showed Croydon South's Richard Ottaway's bill totalled £133,430. He claimed £85,719 for staffing costs, £19,040 to run his office and £21,000 for trips away from home. On travel expenses Mr Ottaway claimed £2,675 for his car and £495 on trips to Europe. Mr Ottaway also claimed a total of £3,419 on stationery and postage costs and an additional £1,082 on central IT provision.

Croydon Central's Andrew Pelling claimed a total of £112,215. That included £87,844 for staffing costs, £16,370 for running his office and £2,712 London supplement. Mr Pelling's travel allowances totalled £612 spent on his car. Stationary and postage costs totalled £3,619 and £1,058 was claimed for IT.

Croydon North's Malcolm Wicks expenses totalled £118,700. Mr Wicks claimed £87,272 on staffing costs and £26,436 to run his office. Mr Wicks also claimed £23 on his car and £517 on European travel. £44 was also claimed on members' staff travel. A total of £3,659 was claimed on stationery and postage costs with an additional £749 claimed on central IT provision.