Details of expenses claimed by the country's 659 members of parliament were published last week.

Vale MP Peter Luff is middle of the road when it comes to claiming expenses, according to the controversial new figures.

The mid-Worcestershire MP, who claimed a total £119,410 between April 2003 and March this year, was ranked halfway at 329.

In the Cotswolds, MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said he was pleased that details of members' expenses had been made public.

The MP who has represented the area for 12 years, claimed a total of £108,908 in expenses for the year ending last March.

In Stratford, MP John Maples claimed a total of £109,059 in expenses last year. The total included £65,449 for staffing costs and £11,935 in office and surgery expenses, as well as £6,537 for travel between his Warwickshire home and Westminster.

The expenses cover a variety of areas, including travel, accommodation, staff and stationary, but some members have been criticised over the size of their claims.

MPs can claim around £120,000 on top of their £57,485 backbench salaries.

Mr Luff said he felt the money is essential to ensure their duties are done properly.

"I think it is a good idea on the whole to publish details of expenses and the vast majority are entirely reasonable claims. Just as GPs need surgeries and receptionists MPs need offices and staff. There are one or two things that raise eyebrows and I am sure they will be looked at very carefully - public scrutiny improves how things are done," he said.

West Worcestershire MP Sir Michael Spicer ranked 399th after claiming £115,566.

Mr Clifton-Brown said: "I am perfectly happy and relaxed that this information should be published," he said. "Constituents have a right to see how we spend their money."

He added that the bulk of his expenses, £68,023, was used to pay his staff and run his office. His other claims were £17,200 for additional costs allowance, £18.025 for incidental expenses provision and £5,660 for travel.

"Doing an approximate calculation, my total bill costs my constituents less than £3 a year, which I feel is quite a reasonable sum."

Mr Clifton-Brown's bill is lower than neighbouring MPs in the Cotswolds, with £127,003 claimed by Tewkesbury's Laurence Robertson, who represents Winchcombe, and £114,466 claimed by David Cameron whose Witney constituency covers Chipping Norton.

Stratford's MP Mr Maples said: "I think that I'm ranked relatively low in terms of the money that I've spent. I would like to think that I can justify every pound," he said.

Mr Spicer was unavailable for comment as the Journal went to press.