Lockwood Smith

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

Ms Wilson put a limit on subsidised travel in 2007 which meant the level of discount for those still in Parliament was halted as at 2005.

The ruling was reversed before last year's election.

A spokesman for Speaker Lockwood Smith said he was "seeking information about the background of the whole matter and won't comment until he's had a chance to review the information".

Present and former MPs elected before 1999 receive a 60 percent discount on travel after nine years of service; after 12 years they get 75 percent; after 15 years they get 90 percent.

Ms Wilson, who was elected in 1999, said she could not remember the details but after Parliament rose for the 2008 election, some MPs who were leaving had approached her to dispute it, The New Zealand Herald reported.

She sought the views of all parties and agreed to drop it after only one objected.

As a result of the change, travel perks were restored to 23 MPs, 12 of whom were not re-elected.