Allowances for office costs, food and travel at the North's Assembly are to come under the microscope, it was announced today.

Senior civil servants in the North who were paid £1m (€1.65m) in bonuses were today accused of putting wage demands ahead of the concept of public service.

A row has erupted in the Stormont assembly about a proposed pay rise, taking members wages to about £45,000 (€73,000) a year.