MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh has deflected Labour blows after being accused of “milking the system” by claiming nearly five times as much on travel expenses as her predecessor.

Figures from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) last week revealed that Ms Ahmed-Sheikh and her staff claimed £39,258.20 on travel expenses in 2015-16, nearly five times as much as former Labour MP Gordon Banks and his team did in 2014-15 (£8,565.20).

What the figures also revealed, however, is that the SNP representative’s expenses altogether amounted to less than Mr Banks’, while she has already spoken more in Parliament than the Labour MP did in five years.

A Scottish Labour spokesman told sister publication the Herald Scotland: “These figures show SNP MPs are milking the system for all it is worth.”

In her first year of office, when she also had to claim start-up expenses of nearly £6,000 for her office, Ms Ahmed-Sheikh’s outcomes amounted to £179,123.20, while Mr Banks claimed £180,836.26 in his last full financial year in office.

The year before, Mr Banks claimed even more, £192,713.23, with travel amounting to £22,217.96.

Ms Ahmed-Sheikh told the Advertiser: “I’ve spoken in 162 parliamentary debates since my election last year, and have asked 54 parliamentary questions.

“In contrast, My predecessor spoke 88 times in five years and asked only 23 questions in this time. I’ve also voted in a higher proportion of votes in the House of Commons than my predecessor did in his last full parliamentary term.

“I’m proud of my workrate as a local MP. I’m sure that anyone who looks at the facts of the matter would agree that, whether or not you agree with my politics, my record is that of a hard-working parliamentarian who provides good value for money for my constituents.”

Recently, the MP has been pressing the UK Government on Concentrix and HMRC tax credits blunders, which she said unfairly affect many families across the Wee County. She is now pushing for full and proper compensation for locals.

Most of her travel expenses, nearly £23,000, went on flights between Scotland and London – often at around £430 a time using flexible economy class tickets.

In 2014, Mr Banks also flew to London a number of times, albeit less often than his successor. He spent around £420 for each flight on what is also believed to have been flexible economy class.

It is understood that flexible tickets are the most cost-effective option as both politicians often had to change their travel plans.

While Mr Banks saved on travel by not visiting Westminster often, Ms Ahmed-Sheikh spent around £30,000 less on staff.