A POSTAGE and stationery allowance funded by the taxpayer has been increased by £350 per MP to cover Royal Mail's price rises.

The House of Commons Commission has raised the allowance for stationery and postage-paid envelopes provided by the Commons from £8650 to £9000 a year for each of the 650 MPs.

The 4% increase follows the now-privatised Royal Mail's decision to increase postage costs from March 31, including a 3.3% rise to 62p for first-class stamps and a 6% rise to 53p for second- class stamps. The overall allowance has been raised by £227,500 in 2014/15.

Figures from 2012/13 show MPs such as Conservative Zac Goldsmith spent none of his allowance, while Labour's shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry spent £8,647.27.