MPs are planning to spend millions more pounds of taxpayers' cash on better offices in their constituencies.

A House of Commons committee is drawing up proposals to find new accommodation for MPs amid complaints that they cannot afford decent offices out of their expenses.

The project, to be overseen by a surveyor employed by the Commons, is set to be approved by MPs this week when they vote on reforms to their controversial allowances.

For the first time, it will guarantee MPs a set standard of constituency office accommodation procured centrally by Parliament.

It is expected to more than double the cost of MPs' offices outside Westminster to up to £6 million a year.

The proposals, emerging from the "root and branch" review of expenses designed to crack down on abuses, were condemned today by campaigners for lower taxes.

They come as MPs axe the "John Lewis list" - of home improvements and white goods they can claim on their second homes allowance - in response to public uproar.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "This makes a mockery of all the rhetoric we have heard about Parliament reining itself in.

"There is no justification for doubling the bill for MPs' offices - the vast majority of MPs manage just fine with the office allowance at the current level.

"This looks like an opportunistic attempt to sneak a huge hike in office costs under the radar while the general focus is on second home allowances.

"With ordinary families struggling to make ends meet, it would be totally inappropriate to spend millions on renting plusher offices for MPs."

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