By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, April 7 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key says the use of taxpayer funds to pay National MP Nick Smith's legal bills is fine, but he would be open to such information being made public.

Wellington, April 7 NZPA - Tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars are funding legal defences for MPs, it was reported today.

Wellington, Aug 27 NZPA - Politicians are being asked for their opinions on cancelling travelling entitlements for MPs convicted of crimes.

Wellington, Aug 21 NZPA - Retiring MPs lobbied former speaker Margaret Wilson to reverse her ruling which limited their travel allowances, she says.

Wellington, Aug 20 NZPA - Speaker Lockwood Smith is looking into how a last minute pre-election change saw former MPs' retain high taxpayer subsidised travel.

Wellington, Aug 20 NZPA - An alleged last minute pre-election change meant former MPs' subsidised travel was not limited.

Wellington, May 27 NZPA - Trevor Mallard was today the first MP this parliamentary term to aggravate Speaker Lockwood Smith into turfing him out of Parliament's debating chamber.

Wellington, March 13 NZPA - Increased funding for MPs with large electorates to cover has been welcomed by the Maori Party, which says the change was recommended in 2007 and approved before the election.

Wellington, March 8 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key rejects criticism that he was focusing on issues like the honours system when the Government should be concentrating on the financial crisis.

(adds quotes, detail) Wellington March 8 NZPA - The titles of Dames and Knights are to be restored to the New Zealand honours system, Prime Minister John Key announced today.