The expenses claims of Sussex MPs soared to £1.8 million last year.

The 16 MPs claimed an average of £114,522 in allowances and expenses on top of the standard backbench salary of £57,485 and generous pension.

At the same time, the Senior Salaries Review Body said there should be no rise in MPs' salaries in 2004/5 beyond a two per cent increase already awarded.

Details of MPs allowances for the past three years were published for the first time last night. MPs decided to release them now before clauses under the Freedom of Information Act come into effect in January.

The biggest spender in Sussex in the 12 months to April was Ivor Caplin, who blamed his £129,133 claim on staff costs and commitments as minister for veterans.

Mr Caplin employs four members of staff and receives 15,000 items of post each year of which he will reply to half.

The lowest spender with a claim of just £80,390 was Conservative Peter Bottomley, who represents West Worthing.

Savings are made because Mr Bottomley's wife Virginia - and Tory backbencher and Secretary of State for Health in John Major's government - shares many of his office and housing costs.

He said: "That I appear to be frugal should be no criticism of anyone at the other end."

Britain's 659 MPs claimed a total of £78 million in expenses last year - an average of £118,437 each.

The figure has gone up by £20.56 million in just two years. It means the average backbencher gets £175,922 a year, compared with the national average wage of just over £20,000.

Ministers have appealed for public understanding of the allowances, insisting they are vital for them to carry out their jobs.

But former anti-sleaze MP Martin Bell urged voters to look at the figures and vote any "crooks" out at the next election.

The Public and Commercial Services Union said MPs must lead by example at a time when the Government is trying to save money by axing tens of thousands of civil service jobs.

A spokesman for the union said: "If the Treasury and the Government are looking to make efficiency savings from other parts of government, then perhaps some MPs should lead by example."

Britain's biggest union, Unison, also questioned the amount claimed by some MPs.

A spokeswoman said: "We don't want to go back to the days when MPs were tempted to have second jobs but some of these expenses do seem excessive, particularly when we have other public sector workers who are on very low wages and don't get much help with housing. They deserve to be properly treated as well."

Mr Caplin said: "The openness and transparency is a positive thing for politics. I personally have always published these in my own annual report.

"Most of the expenses are salaries and I spend almost £70,000 or so to run two two offices - and nobody is suggesting we should not have a reasonable number of staff.

"I am quite content what I do is perfectly right and proper, this money is not a perk but an absolutely necessary part of the job. People want to speak to their MPs, this is a long-held democratic tradition and we must have openness."

Asked if expenses were used to woo business leaders he said: "It's the other way around in Westminster to be honest.

"For the vast majority of MPs there is none of that although I cannot say it does not happen elsewhere."

MPs from all political parties welcomed the publication of their expenses accounts and stressed the money was spent on office work rather than entertaining.

Charles Hendry, the Conservative MP for Wealden, was the second biggest spender in the county with a bill of £125,811.

He said his claim was higher than those of his colleagues because of his job as the shadow spokesman for young people which involves travelling across the country.

His main office in London, staffed by three people, incurs higher costs than those of MPs who base their work in their constituency. His Wealden office was paid for by money raised by party activists.

Mr Hendry said: "I have not made any money out of being in politics. I had a standard of living beforehand which being in politics has not contributed to.

"I did not get my house off the back of being a Member of Parliament.

"If someone has a secretary that is not a perk to him. That is about providing a service to his constituents. I have an office in London because that is where we can work most closely together while other MPs keep their staff in their constituencies.

"This also reflects the fact I have the highest number of constituents in the area with 85,000 people and the largest geographical constituency which means more travel. In other parts of the world the costs would be far higher."

The shadow minister owns a large home in Wealden and a home in Westminster.

But he took a significant cut in pay when he gave up running his own business in corporate networking for a career in politics.

Michael Foster, Tory MP for Hastings, spent £114,680 but said his life was far from extravagant.

He lives in a £200,000 four-bedroom semi-detached house on the outskirts of a Hastings council estate and rents a studio flat in London's Elephant and Castle.

The solicitor turned Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Attorney-General has a take-home pay of £7 an hour after working 85 hours a week and drives an economical X-registered Ford Focus.

His allowance helps pay for five staff and a five-day-a-week constituency office.

David Lepper MP, who represents Pavilion, spent £111,385. Part of this went on rent for an office which he shares with Unison in London Road, Brighton, and more than £1,500 went on buses, taxies and trains.

He said: "It's absolutely right the public should be aware what MPs are allowed to spend and the fact we are only allowed to spend money carrying out our duties.

"I do think MPs represent good value for money but I am bound to say that aren't I? There is a myth about how much we can claim on expenses and where that money goes. We are not allowed to pay for what you would call hospitality and when I am in London I eat at the Westminster canteen."

The Pavilion MP has three staff, costing £43,500 a year. Mr Lepper does not employ any members of his family. His wife Jeane, a former mayor and a Brighton and Hove city councillor, used to wear a badge saying "No, I'm not his secretary".

His Brighton colleague Des Turner, who represents Kemptown and works from the same office building, claimed £115,991.

The additional cost allowance towards rent or mortgage expenses on a second home are limited to £20,333. Constituency office expenditure is capped at £18,799 and staff costs at £74,985.

But expenses for travel, 57.7p a mile in a car and unlimited first-class rail tickets, are not capped.