MSPs have claimed almost £12.8m in expenses in the last recorded year.

The annual bill for Holyrood's politicians in the 2015/16 financial year stands at £12,770,924, an increase of 2.18% from the £12,498,721 recorded in the previous year.

MSPs can claim up to £5846 for winding up their parliamentary office if they are leaving.

A spokesman for the Scottish Parliament said: "Once election-related winding-up costs are taken into account, the rise in 2015-16 expenses is in line with inflation."

A total of 15 MSPs retired and did not seek re-election in May.

STV News has looked at what the money is spent on:

Scotland's politicians and their staff claimed £17,031 in taxi fares in the last year.

That total is down on 2014/15 when MSPs racked up a bill of £19,407.

The bill for MSPs' hotel costs and overnight stays both in Scotland, London and abroad totalled £211,982 in the latest claim cycle.

In the financial year 2013/2014 it topped the £240,000 mark.

This year's figure is £49,522 higher than the figure in 2010/2016.

For the second year in a row our hungry politicians have clocked up a bill over £8000 in meal expenses.

These claims differ widely.

For example, the now former SNP MSP Fiona MacLeod claimed the highest total for a single evening meal, £43.50, while also claiming the smallest meal expense, £2.85.

The cost of air travel expenses soared in the last year to £54,407.

The bulk of these claims were made by MSPs for the Highlands and Islands commuting to Edinburgh.

However it also includes expenses filed by Holyrood politicians visiting the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg.