Thank goodness TOFO chipped in as I thought I was having to realign my moral compass. The seven quid is an interesting benchmark - what if it had cost 250 to get there, would the vitriol pointed in the MP's direction still have been justified? How much out of pocket should someone have to stump up out of moral obligation?
When I volunteered for RIAT I did not enter travel claims as the reimbursement was met directly from RAFCTE funds, which subsequently impacts the amount of money available for the charity output. However, if attending ANY event as a direct Service order then I view it as a legitimate business expense and my claim is in on JPA. Funnily enough, several VSOs who 'gave their time' to RIAT/RAFCTE certainly made their travel claims, despite knowing the direct impact to RAFCTE funds.
H