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

Former speaker Margaret 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 New Zealand Herald reported.

The ruling was reversed before last year's election.

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

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 off.

Former cabinet minister Sir Douglas Graham has said he would not give up his travel allowance, though he would swap it for a pension when he got too old to travel.

Sir Douglas said he had "absolutely" used the 90 percent travel discount he was entitled to.

When details of MPs' expense claims were released for the first time last month, ACT MP Sir Roger Douglas came under fire for using the discount to fly himself and his wife to Britain.