On seven occasions the member for Nottingham North claimed for more than the maximum allowed.
MPs are permitted to claim some £400 every four weeks for food and between April 2004 and March 2008 Mr Allen claimed the full amount for every month.
It meant the total he claimed was £19,200 making him one of the highest claimers for food.
Restaurants at Westminster are subsidised by the taxpayer – a cooked breakfast can be bought for about £2 and lunch for less than £5.
In December 2007 and in January 2008 Mr Allen tried to claim £105 more than the £400 monthly limit and £60 more in each the following two months.
In April, May and June 2006 the MP tried to claim £8 over the allowed limit.
He said: "I simply tallied up all of my receipts for food in those months. On occasions when it was over £400 the fees office amended the total and it meant the amount paid out didn't cover my expenditure. It's a simple as that."
In total on his second home allowance Mr Allen claimed £22,945 last year – £138 short of the maximum allowed.
Across all of his expenses – which include the cost of running an office, travel and communications – the MP was the city's highest claimer with £171,198.
Mr Allen said: "There have been some very bad things that have gone on, but many of the MPs' problems are down to the fact that they didn't know the rules and that they did not get good advice.
"The publication of the receipts is to be welcomed, as are changes in the system."
Total repayment recommended: £3,341.74MPs are permitted to claim some £400 every four weeks for food and between April 2004 and March 2008 Mr Allen claimed the full amount for every month.
It meant the total he claimed was £19,200 making him one of the highest claimers for food.
He said: "It works out to be about £25 a day. I think people will think that is acceptable when you take into account London prices."
Restaurants at Westminster are subsidised by the taxpayer – a cooked breakfast can be bought for about £2 and lunch for less than £5.
In December 2007 and in January 2008 Mr Allen tried to claim £105 more than the £400 monthly limit and £60 more in each the following two months.
In April, May and June 2006 the MP tried to claim £8 over the allowed limit.
He said: "I simply tallied up all of my receipts for food in those months. On occasions when it was over £400 the fees office amended the total and it meant the amount paid out didn't cover my expenditure. It's a simple as that."
In total on his second home allowance Mr Allen claimed £22,945 last year – £138 short of the maximum allowed.
Across all of his expenses – which include the cost of running an office, travel and communications – the MP was the city's highest claimer with £171,198.
Mr Allen said: "There have been some very bad things that have gone on, but many of the MPs' problems are down to the fact that they didn't know the rules and that they did not get good advice.
"The publication of the receipts is to be welcomed, as are changes in the system."
Total repayments received since April 1 2009: £4,679.72
Balance recommended to be repaid: £0.00
Expenses
Figures in brackets are ranks.Data from parliament.uk (source). Read 2004/05 – 2008/09 and 1st quarter 2009/10 receipts.
| Type | 2008/09 (ranking out of 647) | 2007/08 (ranking out of 645) | 2006/07 (ranking out of 645) | 2005/06 | 2004/05 (ranking out of 659) | 2003/04 (ranking out of 658) | 2002/03 (ranking out of 657) | 2001/02 (ranking out of 657) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staying away from main home | £23,935 (73rd) | £22,945 (210th) | £22,110 (joint 1st with 183 others) | £21,634 | £20,896 (joint 209th with 1 other) | £20,332 (joint 153rd with 5 others) | £19,722 (joint 1st with 230 others) | £17,009 (83rd) |
| London costs | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £17 (joint 121st with 8 others) |
| Office running costs | £25,753 (43rd) | £19,608 (263rd) | £29,140 (joint 12th with 6 others) | £28,400 | £19,325 (joint 11th with 77 others) | £18,799 (joint 13th with 178 others) | £18,234 (joint 1st with 183 others) | £20,159 (162nd) |
| Staffing costs | £95,486 (319th) | £85,944 (384th) | £75,226 (556th) | £62,673 | £68,765 (420th) | £71,682 (134th) | £65,201 (293rd) | £35,942 (583rd) |
| Communications Allowance | £10,176 (joint 220th with 1 other) | £16,291 (14th) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Members' Travel | £11,590 (148th)1 | £14,771 (81st)2 | £11,196 (160th)3 | £13,762 | £13,550 (196th) | £17,337 (87th) | £18,871 (65th) | £13,007 (106th) |
| Members' Staff Travel | £1,366 (51st) | £1,004 (102nd) | £315 (joint 270th with 3 others) | £1,067 | £1,623 (107th) | £621 (234th) | £0 | £0 |
| Members' Spouse Travel | £2,622 (28th) | £1,417 (95th) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Members' Family Travel | £1,326 (11th) | £1,019 (20th) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Centrally Purchased Stationery | £6,942 (46th) | £1,446 (joint 104th with 1 other) | £2,111 (89th) | £2,187 | £5,373 (21st) | £2,412 (41st) | £3,318 (19th) | £1,543 (161st) |
| Stationery: Associated Postage Costs | £5,462 (21st) | £7,501 (68th) | £9,102 | £21,517 (9th) | £9,969 (26th) | N/A | N/A | |
| Centrally Provided Computer Equipment | £1,291 (joint 201st with 1 other) | £1,142 (joint 175th with 17 others) | £180 | £1,563 (555th) | £1,563 (541st) | £1,563 (514th) | £1,563 (435th) | |
| Other Costs | £4,292 (47th) | £0 | £0 | £0 | £908 (86th) | £0 | £0 | £1,500 (joint 32nd with 4 others) |
| Total | £183,487 (8th) | £171,198 (13th) | £148,741 (106th) | £139,005 | £153,520 (15th) | £142,715 (22nd) | £126,909 (52nd) | £90,740 (274th) |
1 Regular journeys between home/constituency/Westminster: Mileage £2,655 (301st). Rail £7,178 (105th). Air £148 (152nd). Misc £896 (43rd). Other: Mileage £52 (71st). European £661 (84th).
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