WILTSHIRE MPs say the amount they claim in expenses and allowances is wholly justified. For the first time the amount that all MPs claimed was published. It showed that on average they claimed £118,437 on top of a salary of £57,485 for back bench MPs.

James Gray, Conservative MP for North Wiltshire, claimed the most, £130,464, while Devizes Conservative MP Michael Ancram claimed £112,020.

South Swindon Labour MP Julia Drown claimed £114,894, Michael Wills, Labour MP for North Swindon, claimed £112,000. Andrew Murrison, Conservative MP for Westbury, claimed £107,733 and Robert Key, Conservative MP for Salisbury, claimed £105,269.

Mr Gray said he claimed what he was entitled to in order to pay for staff, office costs and travel.

He said: "I have no secrets and I think that it is something that is non-controversial. I employ two secretaries and a part-time researcher and the allowances I claim pay their salaries.

"During the summer when my secretary is away I open my post and it takes up most of my time as I get hundreds of letters from constituents each week.

"I think the expenses I legitimately claim are a small figure compared to what politicians spend in the rest of the world."

Mr Ancram said: "Every penny I claim is used to serve people in my constituency.

"I have a tiny office in the Houses of Parliament. I employ two full-time secretaries, one of whom works from home, who deal with the considerable amount of correspondence I get. I try to ensure letters are answered promptly and I couldn't do that if I employed one secretary.

"I also employ a part-time secretary who works from my home in the constituency who looks after my diary. I just get by on two and half secretaries. When I started as an MP in 1974 I received 20 letters a week but now I receive between 400 and 500 letters a week from constituents.

"My constituency is widespread and it's not difficult for me to drive 400 miles in a weekend on business."

He welcomed the publication of MPs expenses and said: "Taxpayers have a right to know that their money is being properly spent and we have to make sure the system is not abused."

For travel costs Mr Gray claimed £10,961 and Mr Ancram claimed £8,874. MPs' mileage allowance for 2003-4 was 56.1p per mile.