By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . The Commons expenses watchdog has come under fire for spending £127,000 to replace furniture which it left behind when it moved offices. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority moved to a new central London HQ last weekend. But it left behind luxury items bought just four years ago, including chairs worth £538 each and loungers which cost the taxpayer £465. Ipsa was created in the wake of the expenses scandal and was supposed to curb extravagant spending . Ipsa was set up in the wake of the MPs’ expenses scandal to keep a tighter grip on what public money was being spent on. It followed public outrage at lavish spending, including several MPs who claimed expenses on upmarket chairs, sofas and home makeovers. But now it has emerged that officials who check parliament’s expense claims decided to not to take their own upmarket seating with them when they moved offices. The furniture bought in 2010 includes seven chairs costing £538 each, 14 ‘relaxer’ loungers worth £465 each, 71 meeting room chairs costing £242 each, six stools each with a £265 price tag and a table costing £837, the Standard reported. Lib Dem MP Sir Bob Russell said the Ipsa offices were plusher than those of a Cabinet minister . But Ipsa is moving from its first headquarters at Portland House in Victoria to a new office at 30 Millbank, just a mile away. Bosses chose to leave the furniture behind in the move, claiming it made it easier to rent it out. However, the decision risks angering MPs who have come under intense pressure from Ipsa to curb extravagant spending of any sort. Lib Dem MP Sir Bob Russell told the Standard: ‘I’ve seen it, and the sheer opulence of it is quite extraordinary. ‘It is better quality than you see in any Cabinet minister’s office. ‘No MP would be allowed to indulge I such staggering waste. They would be told to take it with them.’ Overall the office move is said to have cost almost £620,000, but Ipsa claims it has saved “450,000 by letting out its old office and moving into one which is £100,000 cheaper. A spokesman said:’ Our contract in our old office ran until spring next year. ‘We needed to move out and get into a new office. We thought it was better to move before the next general election. We wanted to make sure we could let out the space we had in the old building. We left lots of furniture behind and we have taken quite a lot of the furniture with us.’ Asked why Ipsa spent more than £500 on some chairs, he added: ‘Every office needs a certain amount of break out space.’
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority under fire for spending .
Moved from Victoria to Millbank in Westminster to cut costs .
But it left behind luxury chairs and tables to help rent out old offices .
Lib Dem Sir Bob Russell says offices are plusher than Cabinet ministers'
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . The Commons expenses watchdog has come under fire for spending £127,000 to replace furniture which it left behind when it moved offices. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority moved to a new central London HQ last weekend. But it left behind luxury items bought just four years ago, including chairs worth £538 each and loungers which cost the taxpayer £465. Ipsa was created in the wake of the expenses scandal and was supposed to curb extravagant spending . Ipsa was set up in the wake of the MPs’ expenses scandal to keep a tighter grip on what public money was being spent on. It followed public outrage at lavish spending, including several MPs who claimed expenses on upmarket chairs, sofas and home makeovers. But now it has emerged that officials who check parliament’s expense claims decided to not to take their own upmarket seating with them when they moved offices. The furniture bought in 2010 includes seven chairs costing £538 each, 14 ‘relaxer’ loungers worth £465 each, 71 meeting room chairs costing £242 each, six stools each with a £265 price tag and a table costing £837, the Standard reported. Lib Dem MP Sir Bob Russell said the Ipsa offices were plusher than those of a Cabinet minister . But Ipsa is moving from its first headquarters at Portland House in Victoria to a new office at 30 Millbank, just a mile away. Bosses chose to leave the furniture behind in the move, claiming it made it easier to rent it out. However, the decision risks angering MPs who have come under intense pressure from Ipsa to curb extravagant spending of any sort. Lib Dem MP Sir Bob Russell told the Standard: ‘I’ve seen it, and the sheer opulence of it is quite extraordinary. ‘It is better quality than you see in any Cabinet minister’s office. ‘No MP would be allowed to indulge I such staggering waste. They would be told to take it with them.’ Overall the office move is said to have cost almost £620,000, but Ipsa claims it has saved “450,000 by letting out its old office and moving into one which is £100,000 cheaper. A spokesman said:’ Our contract in our old office ran until spring next year. ‘We needed to move out and get into a new office. We thought it was better to move before the next general election. We wanted to make sure we could let out the space we had in the old building. We left lots of furniture behind and we have taken quite a lot of the furniture with us.’ Asked why Ipsa spent more than £500 on some chairs, he added: ‘Every office needs a certain amount of break out space.’
for spending £127,000 to replace furniture which Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority But it left behind luxury items bought just four Russell said the Ipsa offices were plusher than Lib Dem MP Sir Bob Russell told the Standard: you see in any Cabinet minister’s office. ‘No MP