Members of Parliament are welcoming their three month hiatus from Ottawa along with a 20 per cent increased allowance to cover their expenses when they return in the fall.

"It's business as usual," Canadian Taxpayers Federation's John Williams told CTV News. "Liberal, Tory, same old story when it comes to perks and privileges."

Agents representing all four parties met quietly behind closed doors and agreed to raise the cost of living allowance for MPs by 20 per cent.

MPs will now get $24,000 a year -- $2,000 a month -- to pay for living in an apartment or hotel in Ottawa. The increases accompany a soar in MPs' salaries by 34 percent, to $147,000, since 2000.

"It is completely unacceptable," Williams said. "Our Members of Parliament are already more than well paid."

A secretive Commons board of internal economy is responsible for the decisions and only two members are permitted to speak to the media.

"There were members who were having a hard time staying within the limit," board member and Liberal MP Karen Redman explained.

Some MPs were more open to admitting that Ottawa really isn't that expensive.

"The only thing that has gone up is cab fares," NDP MP Peter Stoffer said.

Stoffer claims he doesn't need the extra allowance.

"I think what we had before was enough. I never complained about getting what we were getting before."

But Conservative MP Dave Batters said he isn't abusing the system.

"I for example live at the Radisson at $89 a night so I'm not living high on the hog."

To claim an expense, MPs must provide receipts pertaining to their living expenses

According to The Ottawa Citizen, some other perks include:

• A budget of $75.40 daily for meals and incidentals
• A one cent per kilometre increase, now 47 cents, for MPs driving their own vehicles

With a report by CTV's Robert Fife