United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal ultimately covered the entire gamut of Parliament—all major parties and several minor ones, ministers (including the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, cabinet and shadow cabinet members) through to backbenchers, and members of both the House of Lords and the House of Commons. A number of members were expelled from their parties, or would not stand for re-election; some members repaid, in part or whole, sums they had previously claimed. Expenses claims to be repaid averaged £3,000 with the highest repayment being £42,458.21 by Barbara Follett. There were also payments to the UK tax authority for taxes on possible gains
United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal paid £110,000 for the information, and described it as ‘money well spent in the public interest’. "The Times" and "The Sun" had turned down an offer to buy the leaked expenses file. Shortly after the publication of the information, the House of Commons authorities asked the Metropolitan Police to investigate, a request that the Metropolitan Police declined, on the grounds that a prosecution would not be in the public interest. Alongside specific allegations of incorrect claims such as claims for the cost of mortgages which it transpired had already been repaid in full the "Telegraph" alleged that parliamentary ‘Green Book’