MPs were paid more than £3.2m of taxpayer-funded expenses in the first two months of this year - and have racked up £880,000 on official payment cards.

Almost 25,000 claims were submitted for January and February - but 84 MPs were refused a total of £4,633 they asked for by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

Wirral's four MPs received a total of £9,367 in expenses for the period.

Wallasey's Angela Eagle claimed £3,259, Alison McGovern, who represents Wirral South, claimed £2,268, Esther McVey of Wirral West claimed £1,189 while Birkenhead's Frank Field claimed £1,941.

None of the four had claims refused by the regulator.

Ipsa disclosed for the first time the sums being put on payment cards issued to MPs - which were originally designed just to pay for travel.

The rules were relaxed amid politicians' protests and they can now use them to settle bills for business rates, council tax bills and certain utility bills. Around 10,000 such transactions have now been made by 378 MPs.

The total payments for the start of this year were the same as for the last two months of 2010 but the bill is set to rise significantly when future figures are published.

In a series of concessions to soothe MPs furious about the system introduced in the wake of the Westminster pay and perks scandal, Ipsa is now allowing them to spend more.

The controversial changes were announced in March after angry complaints from across parties that the system created in the wake of the expenses scandal is too restrictive and bureaucratic.