Expenses reveal health minister's 'ready meal' shopping

The publication of MPs' expenses claims has revealed health minister Mike O'Brien's apparent enthusiasm for convenience food and sweets.

Mr O'Brien: expenses claims revealed

Ready meals, mini doughnuts, jumbo wedges, banoffee tart, choc ices and sponge pudding feature on the receipts which form part of the Warwickshire North MP's claims.

The Daily Telegraph wrote: 'Health minister Mike O'Brien's department is not shy of lecturing the electorate on the importance of healthy eating. But supermarket receipts submitted alongside the Labour MP's expenses claims include a number of items that don't count towards your five-a-day.'

Mr O'Brien's claim for second home allowance in 2008/9 was £10,685.97, health secretary Andy Burnham's £13,175.58 and public health minister Gillian Merron's £23,000.24.

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