Interesting Interests
The latest register of MPs' interests has been posted up on the Some of our double jobbing MPs have tried to estimate how many hours their Stormont duties take - for example, the DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson reckons his MLA work takes him on average "30 hours per week plus constituency work", whilst his Lisburn Council duties take "5-10 hours per week plus constituency work".
The First Minister Peter Robinson gives a monthly breakdown of "132 hours worked exclusively on ministerial work in July 2009" in relation to being First Minister and against being an MLA "33 hours worked in July 2009, including some additional work as First Minister. In addition, 82 hours worked as Assembly Member in July 2009, including some work as Member of Parliament." Confused, well so am I?
Other MPs haven't bothered to give any estimate of how much time they spend on other jobs, something which may provoke a complaint to the Commons authorities. Gerry Adams, for example registers being an MLA but gives no salary or time allowance for that job. He does, however, declare Β£800 paid in July for blogging and writing columns for the Andersonstown News and the Irish Echo in New York, something which took him 18 hours.
Alasdair McDonnell also hasn't tried to estimate how many hours he works as an MLA - he also registers, without any other detail, that he works part time as a GP.
We've long known that Willie McCrea earns a few country and western dollars from his gospel singing for "Daybreak Recording". But this is the first time I've seen his salary as as Minister of the Calvary Free Presbyterian Church spelled out. He gets Β£460 for a 12 hour week, plus a Β£225 allowance towards rent, phone and heating the Magherafelt Manse.
I'm 
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