TOFO,
Speak for yourself. My claims are/were all legal, indeed I probably claimed less than I was entitled to over my RAF career.
Maybe I'm a mug, or too honest - submitting a fraudulent claim wouldn't have felt right, to say nothing of risking potentially losing a long term career and pension for the sake of gaining a few pounds you weren't entitled to.
With regard to this subject there is one thing that really hacks me off. If anyone in the military submits a false travel claim, they will be subject to disciplinary measures which are likely to include dismissal from the services. If an MP is caught submitting a false claim (e.g. Blunkett claiming for his lover, the latest MP claiming the electric bill for his stables, etc, etc.....), the usual response is:
"....I'm terribly sorry, I'll repay the money....."
At which point the matter is normally closed (they may have to apologise to "the House", as Nadine Dorries has just had to do - some sanction that!!).
I know some MPs have been tried in civil courts for fraud, but it was tip of the iceberg stuff. Perhaps if the sanctions for false claims for MPs were stronger then there would be less of them in the first place?