Stormont's independent financial review panel, who changed the expenses rules in March 2016. From left, Alan McQuillan, Patrick McCartan and Dr Henrietta Campbell

MORE than two-thirds of MLAs had expenses claims rejected by Stormont's finance office in the last year.

Seventy-two assembly members submitted invoices that could not paid out during the 2016/17 financial year.

In total, there were 133 claims rejected for various reasons, up from 99 and 91 over the previous two years.

There were 52 claims submitted that were classified as "not payable in accordance with the rules".

Two years ago the figure was just eight – a jump of more that 500 per cent.

There were also 25 instances where a member had submitted the same expense invoice twice.

And there were 20 claims that were refused because the MLA had already hit their spending limit.

This was double the total during the previous year.

Each year elected representatives are allowed to claim a set amount for staff wages, travel and other costs such as constituency office rates.

For years this amount was anywhere between £65,000-£75,000, but the system was scrapped in March 2016 when an independent panel made changes to the rules on MLAs' expenses.

Speaking at the time, the chair of the independent financial review panel, Pat McCartan, said the "radical changes" would "enhance public confidence in our politicians".

MLAs are now only allowed to employ a maximum of two full-time staff, with a total wage bill of £50,000.

Beginning immediately after the election in May, a fixed travel allowance was also introduced for each constituency, which is dependent on the member's distance from their home to Parliament Buildings.

Stormont politicians are also only able to have one office in their constituency, with a rent limit of £8,500.

However, last year nine invoices were rejected after being submitted by MLAs attempting to claim for a second office.

Every year, all members have to send to the Assembly Commission a declaration stating that they have complied with all the expenses rules.

Under the strict determinations set each year, an MLA is only entitled to recover money if "the expense has been actually incurred by the member" and "the expense was incurred in connection with the member's exercise of functions as a member".

Politicians can also only claim if "the expense has not been recovered from any other person" and they haven't been "reimbursed in relation to the expense by any other person".

The figures were disclosed to The Irish News via a freedom of information request.

When asked whether enough was being done to ensure members do not attempt to claim expenses they are not entitled to, an assembly spokesperson said they "have appropriate mechanisms in place to substantiate all claims made by MLAs".