MP defiant in row over sick pay


HELEN Grant has denied claims from a for- mer employee that she altered his contract of employment to deprive him of sick pay. Parliamentary assistant Tony Williams


(59) pointed the finger at the Maidstone and the Weald MP after he discovered his sick pay provision was for two weeks, after he had been signed off following a minor heart attack. He complained to the Independent Par- liamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), which strongly recommends that its model contract –providing one year’s sick pay – be adopted for parliamentary employees. Mrs Grant (pictured), a qualified lawyer, claims that whenMrWilliams was given a permanent contract in 2011 it was drafted by her parliamentary staff mainly using an IPSA template but also incorporating the sick pay terms used in the contracts she has with all employees in her legal aid practice in the private sector. Mr Williams said he only discovered an


issue when he went on sick leave in August 2012.Astatement on behalf of theMPsaid:


TONY Williams, a former head of communications for Grave- sham Council, began working for Mrs Grant in October 2010, on a salary of £21,600 for a four- day week. His duties included drafting correspondence and news re- leases, dealing with enquiries from constituents and the media and accompanying Mrs Grant to meetings. MrWilliams (pictured) claims problems arose when he started attending hospital appoint- ments following a series of chest pains – even though he said he took most of the ap- pointments on his day off. In September this year, he was admitted to St Thomas’s Hospi- tal, London, where he discov- ered he had suffered an earlier mild heart attack. He had two stents inserted into hismain ar- tery and the hospital continues to monitor two others which are partially blocked. “Up to then I had barely taken


a day off sick in 27 years,” he said. “It was only when I was about to go into hospital I de- cided to find out my entitle- ment. I was already quite ill, so


“Shortly afterwards IPSA contacted Mrs Grant’s office to advise that they had re- viewed the authorised contracts she had in place and that they wanted them to be amended to include the sick pay provisions set out in their own model contract. “This provides for 26 weeks on full pay


and 26 weeks on half pay from the second year of service, and their request was com- plied with on the same day. IPSA admitted they hadmissed this in their original checks of Mrs Grant’s contracts, but that no mem- bers of staff suffered a loss as a result.” MrsGrant said shewould be investigating


whyMrWilliams had chosen the media to air his grievances, rather than follow the cor- rect grievance procedure. “I am shocked and deeply saddened by


this wicked attack on my reputation,” she said.


“MrWilliams’ contract was checked and endorsed by IPSA and checked, approved and signed by Mr Williams. It was never changed or altered in any way.”


Complainant stands to lose his job


tacted Mrs Grant to request a re- vised version.” Although Mrs Grant then corrected his sick pay and holiday entitlement, MrWilliams now stands to lose his job as there is speculation the MP plans to close the con- stituency office in Albion Place, Maidstone, in a bid to save tax- payers’ money. Her spokesman claimed Mr


it was pretty upsetting and dis- tressing to be told Iwas only en- titled to two weeks’ sick pay. “A colleague suggested I check


with the Independent Parlia- mentary Standards Authority (IPSA). I’m not greedy or un- grateful – I just wanted to clarify my position, as it was clear I would be off work for a while.” An IPSA spokesman said:


“Sick pay provision is one area of the employment contract which is not open to change by MPs or their staff. Once we knew about this case. we con-


Williams was to be offered one of two London jobs before they were advertised, but he was on holiday and could not be con- tacted. “Mr Williams has since flatly declined the job opportunities in London, without discussion, and declined to meet to discuss his future on grounds of being too ill,” he said. Mr Williams’ previous post


was as communications man- ager for the Yalding-based drugs and alcohol charity, the Ken- ward Trust. He left his job in 2010, after which he unsuccessfully took the trust to an industrial tribu- nal, claiming he had been un- fairly dismissed and had been discriminated against for being “too Christian”.


Closure would


‘save money’ HELEN Grant says she plans to vacate her rented constituency office in Albion Place, Maidstone, in a bid to save money.


The local MP’s spokesman


said: “As government duties tie her much more to London now, MrsGrant feelsitisevenmore important to give local surgery matters her personal attention, which can best be dealt with at her Parliamentary office.


“We understand this was how


AnnWiddecombeoperatedwhen she was a minister, as it was the quickest, most personal way of dealing with local problems. The cost justification of the staffedof- fice in Maidstone thencameinto question.


“Mrs Grant’s office in Maid-


stone is on the market and the owners will require her to vacate these premises in due course, subject to sale.


“If the decision is taken not to replace the permanent office, Mrs Grant's surgeries and meet- ings would still take place in Maidstone on a regular basis, and in theWeald Centre in Cran- brook, as is presently the case.”


Expenses hike after relocation to London


AN extra £1,666 per month in expenses is being claimed by Helen Grant after she de- cided to rent a property in London. Since March 2012, she has given up her


Westminster commute and begun renting in Vauxhall. Claiming for a rented one- bedroom property is within parliamentary rules if an MP lives more than 60 minutes’ commute fromWestminster. The MP’s spokesman said: “Helen tried


to commute into London and avoid using her personal accommodation allowance for as long as she could. “HerWestminster work increased as her


time in Parliament progressed, and there came a time when she could not work ef-


fectively or as long if she continued to commute. She took on the flat in March 2012, and has subsequently become a min- ister [in September]. “This requires even more of her time


early in the morning and late at night, as well as Fridays when she is the duty min- ister. She now lives in London during the week.”


Between May 2010 (when she was elected to Parliament) and March 2011, MrsGrant claimed £813 permonth for her personal rental allowance in her con- stituency. “Helen’s mother moved to just outside the constituency in March 2011, and that


is where Helen and her husband now stay when they are in the constituency,” the spokesman added. “Her son also lives there because he attends school in Maid- stone whilst his parents are in London. “Helen took the view that it would be a


waste of taxpayers’ money if she were to keep the constituency rental on when the family could stay with her mother. Ann Widdecombe also rented a London flat and lived with her mother when in the constituency.” Mrs Grant’s family home is in Kingswood, Surrey, where she lives with husband Simon, who runs her law firm in Croydon and acts as her senior adviser.


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